Switched: Truths Game
by MyNameIsNK
Summary: "Truth was bored. It knew of every choice: beginning, middle, and end. It knew what was going to happen and when...But. There were those who it could not predict. Ah, yes...Perhaps it could play a game." Two strangers have found themselves caught in Truth's sick game. Will they be able to survive without destroying the timeline of Amestris? What will win: free will or fate?
1. Pre-Game

**Hello and Welcome to 'Switched: Truth's Game'. If you're a returning reader from the previous version or even a new reader, thanks for being here and I hope you enjoy the ride.** **This is a complete rewrite of a story I had done years ago, and if you're new and concerned, don't worry, you don't have to have read the first one to understand this.**

 **Let's do this.**

* * *

 _Truth was bored._

 _The eternity of an observer was dreadfully boring. It was only those few humans that make things… interesting. And even then, the humans it found so wonderfully interesting were boring it. It knew of every choice they were going to make: the beginning, the middle, and the end. It knew what was going to happen and when, and things did not get interesting until much later._

 _But._

 _There were those who it could not predict. Ah yes. How could it forget?_

 _Truth grinned._

* * *

I wanted to die.

Mornings were the worst. It was even worse that I was sat in a Starbucks at 6AM studying my ass off for finals. And for classes I regret taking. This is what I got for going into the Honors program. Why couldn't have middle-school-Ivy slacked off? Middle-school-Ivy set standards I couldn't reach anymore.

"Ives, do you understand this? I'm gonna fail this final…."

I looked up through my bangs at her. Her blue eyes were filled with misery as she stared at her notebook full of numbers and scribbles and crossed out equations. Math was never Ashley's strong suit.

I laughed. "Yeah, don't worry."

Ashley and I decided to move their study group to the outside tables as to not disturb the other customers inside. The summer morning air was chill and fresh and did wonders to wake me up. Summer vacation was so close I could taste it. Just have to make it through finals week with high enough scores to keep my GPA up, then it was camping, beaches, and sleeping in till noon.

We had stacks of papers and notebooks and textbooks splayed all over the table. We huddled together for warmth as I tried explaining formulas to the best of her abilities. It was going well until I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

It was an older man, middle aged and disheveled. He had this humongous blanket wrapped around himself as he circled our table in this weird predatory way. At first I thought he was just waiting for someone, but he kept circling, kept staring at us like some meal. Or more realistically, looking at Ashley like she was the meal.

Ashley was incredibly pretty, even though she couldn't see it. She was the definition of the 'traditional' American beauty: big, blue eyes and long blonde hair. She was shy, always trying to make herself small, with a hidden feistiness that only a select few got to see. She was willowy and tall. Or, tall to me. I was only 5'1" and she seemed to tower over me even though she was the tiny one in her family. She was so charming and cute that I used to have this gigantic crush on her, till we became best friends.

It seemed like the creepy guy was very aware of my friend's charms. He was walking around us quicker now, the circle getting smaller and smaller until he was close enough for me to see his crazed gray eyes and his hands adjusting his pants. It made me sick to my stomach.

"Hey."

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My first instinct was to deck the guy square in the face, grab Ashley, and run. But I was a wimp, rooted in place by fear. I slowly looked up at the owner of the hand and was surprised to see a teenage boy, older than we were, and undeniably attractive as hell with wavy—almost curly—jet black hair and green eyes that stared into my brown ones intently.

"Lets go inside, yeah?" He asked in a low voice, addressing the both of us.

Ashley also eyed the creepy guy standing in the corner, still staring hungrily. She found her voice before I did. "Yeah."

We quickly gathered our things while the boy stood tall and glared daggers at the creep. We threw our backpacks over our shoulders and the boy trailed behind, trying to cover us from view. As soon as we were safely inside the Starbucks, I let out a breath of relief. My hands were shaking and I felt my knees begin to buckle. I managed to look calm but my voice was still MIA.

"Thanks for that," I said, my voice cracking a bit. Ashley nodded, her eyes looking for the creep outside who seemed to have vanished. When did he leave?

He shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Is there anyone who can pick you two up?"

"Already on it," Ashley answered, flashing her phone, busy texting her mother.

"Do you want me to stay till you get picked up?" He asked, though it was very obvious he was only addressing Ashley.

I looked at her, still silent, and we talked it over with just looks. When you clicked with someone the way we did, there was no need for words.

"No, we're fine. My mom's on the way and it won't be long now," she said quietly and he nodded.

"Alright. Maybe I'll see you around," he said with a subtle suggestive look in her direction. He paused for just a nanosecond, his confident gait and forward glances saying everything that needed to be said. Ashley, as oblivious as she was, didn't notice. He left, and I saw him look around to see if the guy was hiding behind the corner. I supposed he wasn't, because the boy continued on his way, with one last glance in Ashley's direction.

When he was gone, I sighed, some of the tenseness in my muscles gone. I touched Ashley's arm.

"You okay?"

"Yeah—yeah, I'm good, it was just that guy. I didn't like the way he looked at us," She said, finally finding her voice.

I smirked, nudging her with my elbow. "But hey, I'm sure you liked how that other guy looked at you, eh?"

She stared at me, brows furrowing in confusion. "What?"

I was at a loss. "You didn't notice…?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "He was _not_ looking at me. He was probably checking out your cleavage, you tit monster."

I only laughed and envied how calm she was in this situation. She seemed to forget all about what happened, yet I was still feeling shaky. As timid as she was, I wished I had the nerves that she did. I was just some wimp that talked big. My father tried toughening me up, but other than explaining a few self-defense moves, I knew nothing. If I were put in a situation where I had to protect myself, I didn't know if I'd actually have the nerve to do anything.

However...

I stared back at the spot the homeless man was. The glass door separating us from the outside world did little to appease the queasiness in my gut. As I continued to stare at the spot the man used to be, I felt my hair stand on end. I don't know if the glass was smudged or something, but it looked distorted. The empty space he used to stand and the air around it seemed distrubed, as if I could reach out and physically touch it.

"Ives?"

I snapped back to my senses, looking back to see Ashley's baby blue eyes looking at me worriedly. I instantly plastered a smile on my face to reassure her. "Yeah?"

"You were spacing out...you okay?"

I nodded."Yeah! Yeah I'm good. I was just wondering if I should buy a brownie or something for Naomi."

She rolled her eyes. "I hope you don't spoil your own kids as much as you spoil your sister."

I grinned. "Oh, cmon! I'm not that bad."

She sent me her knowing look. "That little girl has you wrapped around her finger."

I laughed and soon Ashley was laughing along with me. It wasn't long until her mom showed up, honking at us from the sidewalk. As we left the Starbucks and piled into the car, I couldn't help but steal glances at the place the homeless man was, but whatever I saw before was no longer there.

* * *

 _Perhaps, while Truth was waiting, it could play a game._

 _It had been a while since Truth had been actively involved in its creation. Usually, it found it in poor taste to meddle in the affairs of freedom. Truth sighed. As much as it would like to just watch, it was reaching an end to complacency. The few mistakes made here and there were going to catch up to it. It had to set things in motion._

 _After all, Truth was bored._

* * *

The air was strangely cold and a breeze sent a chill down my spine. I pulled my sweater around myself tighter. I slumped against the wall I was leaning against, groaning into the emptiness. School had ended an hour ago due to the finals schedule and the campus was deserted within minutes of the final bell. Only a madman would stay willingly, but I had strict orders from my mom not to leave campus grounds unless it was an emergency. _"It's not a good area!"_ I could hear her warning voice in my head.

I sighed and saw my breath fade into a tiny cloud. It was gloomy and gray, clouds blanketed across the afternoon sky. California weather was strange and unpredictable, especially in the bay area. It looked like it was going to rain, which was odd, but I guess not uncommon for San Francisco. _Maybe there'll be a summer storm_ , I thought excitedly. I crossed my fingers that it didn't start raining now. On most school days I'm stuck on campus for hours after school ended. It was my fault for living so far away and not driving myself. My dad didn't get off work until late and I had to wait for him to come get me. Usually I'm doing odd-jobs around campus, or in play rehearsal, or waiting for choir practice.

But it was finals and the teachers left early, the play was over, and the school choir was done with their work for the year.

So I was stuck.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my replica pocket watch and checked the time: 1PM. I traced the design on the front, smiling. In middle school I was a major anime nerd. I've since stopped watching anime, being busy with school and all, but I kept the state alchemist pocket watch that an old friend gifted me for Christmas a few years back. It was useful and, I don't know, I'm a sentimental person. It's become habit to take it with me everyday.

I sat there, staring into nothing whilst opening and closing the pocket watch to occupy my hands.

Then I felt it.

A single raindrop on my forehead.

It began sprinkling, slowly, but quickly wetting the earth below me.

I looked up at the Virgin Mary statue that stood beside the cafeteria. "Thanks a lot."

Mary didn't respond back.

I chucked my bag over my shoulder and began walking back to Starbucks. Surely my mom wouldn't want me to stay and get soaked; this was an emergency!

I grimaced. I didn't really want to go back, but I needed somewhere to stay dry. I was nervous that the creep was still there. It's been hours since the incident, so I doubt it, but if he is, there wouldn't be another handsome stranger to save me.

It was pouring by the time I made it to Starbucks. I took refuge under the veranda, wringing out my shirt. I was soaked. I decided to stay outside until I was semi-dry, or dry enough to walk in without leaving a puddle where I was standing. I spend way too much money on coffee here, anyway.

I was still nervous about that creepy guy. My gut was tied in knots. What if he was still here? Lurking about? Realistically, he probably wasn't. But that didn't stop my brain from thinking about it, nope. Oh god, what if the creep tried talking to me again? Oh god, what if he tried abducting me? I wasn't in a very good neighborhood anyway. Oh god, what if—?

A hand touched me.

My body reacted without me telling it to.

I opened my eyes upon hearing a loud _WHACK_ and saw the boy from earlier today clutching his nose and cursing under his breath. Everything pieced together at once.

"Ohmygod, ohmygod, I am so, so sorry!" I exclaimed, trying to see what I could do. "Oh my— c'mon, let's go inside!"

* * *

 _That one._

 _The Gate slammed open, the children's hands wriggling and screeching in joy._

 _Yes, Truth announced, Soon._

* * *

Dozens of tissues were piled on the table and the boy held a fistful up to his nose. I could see blood soaking the edges. My stomach dropped to the ground. "I am so sorry."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye. "You said that already." His voice was nasally from keeping his nose pinched.

"I know, I just feel terrible."

He tilted his face up and reached for more napkins while tossing the blood soaked ones into the trash behind him. Blood dried up around the corners and I saw that his nose hadn't stopped bleeding yet. He pinched his nose with clean napkins. "You've got one hell of a right hook."

I couldn't believe he could still be cracking jokes. "Thanks…" I mumbled, leaning closer and trying to see. "Did I break it? I'm so sorry."

"Christ, stop apologizing already," he admonished, glaring at me slightly. "It was an accident, right?"

I nodded sheepishly.

"Then it's nothing to worry about." He removed the wad of napkins from his face and he scrunched up his face and cringed immediately after from pain. He chuckled. "You didn't break my nose, thank god; that would have been annoying. It's just a bit sore. How's your hand?"

Now that the adrenaline wore off, it was aching. It felt like I punched a wall. "It's fine."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He reached over and grabbed my hand, making me jump and yelp out in pain. He laughed and I felt my face flush in embarrassment. "That's what I thought. Hold on."

He stood up and walked to the barista. He was too far away for me to hear what he was saying, and his back was to me, but he eventually turned and gestured to where I was. Embarrassed, I pretended to not be staring and looked at the rain pelting the window next to me.

After what felt like forever, he came back with two rags and handed one to me. Inside were ice cubes. He held his bunched up rag to his nose. I took the cue and put it on the knuckles of my hand. Immediately it began to feel a little bit better. Who knew punching someone in the face would hurt that bad? The movies make it look so easy.

We sat there in silence for a bit. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. God this was so awkward. Why is he still here? He should have cursed me out and left by now. But instead we're sitting across from each other in awkward silence. This is so much worse than him yelling at me.

"Hey," I said suddenly. He looked at me. "Thanks for this morning, by the way. I, uh, didn't say much then."

He smirked. "I'm surprised you're back so soon. Couldn't stay away?"

I felt my face burn and I'd be surprised if I wasn't a tomato. "It was raining and I-I had nowhere to go!"

He laughed at me and I wanted to die right then and there.

"Two hot chocolates for Noah?" the barista called.

The handsome stranger stood up and went over to claim the two drinks. When he came back, he handed one to me. "Here."

"Oh, you didn't have to!" I pushed the drink toward him again.

"Don't worry about it. It's cold, we're both wet and hurting, might as well have something warm. Hope you like hot chocolate," he said, pushing the drink back toward me.

I stared at it dumbly, not knowing what to say. I mumbled another 'thank you' and took a tentative sip. The warmth flowed down my throat and settled into my chest and I finally started to feel a little bit better. "How much was it?"

He shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "I told you not to worry about it."

I felt guilty. I punched him in the face and he's the one that bought _me_ something. Nonetheless, I smiled at him. "Thank you," I said again, for good measure. He just rolled his eyes and took a sip at his own drink. I looked down at the name scrawled on the cup. "So, Noah, huh?"

He nodded. "Noah Shasta."

"Ivy Thompson. Thanks," I told him. "For the hot chocolate, for earlier today, and for being so nice to me even though I punched you in the face."

He laughed and then reached into his pocket. "Before I forget," he handed it to me. "You dropped this out there."

I looked down. My pocket watch. I felt a bit embarrassed that he saw something so nerdy of mine, but I took it, mumbling yet _another_ 'thank you' at him.

"That's from that, what-ya-call-it…" he snapped his fingers as he tried to remember. He pointed at me when it dawned on him. "That show that was on Toonami."

A wry smile appeared on my face. "Full Metal Alchemist. Yeah. It's an anime. You watched it?"

He shrugged. "Eh, not really. I watched a few episodes here and there. Didn't pay much attention to it. You a fan?"

"Kind of, yeah," I said, trying to forget my obsession with the show. "A friend gave this to me as a present a few years back when I was really into it."

I was finally feeling comfortable when I nearly had a heart attack. Behind Noah was the creep from earlier, staring directly at me. He was soaked, his eyes wide as he stared, pointing, and mouthing words. He was yelling, but the words were lost from the glass separating us.

Upon seeing my face, Noah turned to where I was staring. His face instantly dropped into a glower. He turned to me. "Don't make eye contact, just keep looking down."

I did as was told and I gripped the cup of hot chocolate tighter in my hands. I took a sip to try and calm myself.

I felt myself freeze when I heard the door open and the bell jingle. I tried not to, but I looked up to confirm my fears: the guy had come in. Water dripped off of him and pooled at his feet.

Noah stood up quickly, chest puffed out and standing tall. But he was just a kid a few years older than me. The creep was a middle aged homeless man; who knew what he was capable of?

The man continued to walk closer to our table. He was slow and the water trail followed him. The commotion within the Starbucks seemed to slow as the baristas and workers watched carefully and the other customers stared in confusion and unease.

"Soon," the man announced, staring. His eyes were blank, like he couldn't actually see me. He spoke in our general direction, "I've heard the truth. It's coming soon."

"Woah, man," Noah said, blocking me from view. "You need to take a few steps back, alright?"

"Is there a problem?" one of the stockier baristas asked from behind the counter. "Hey!" The homeless man turned to the barista. "I'm going to need you to step out, sir."

"Soon!" The man repeated, whirling around and regarding everyone.

"Sir, if you don't leave, I'm going to have to call security to escort you out," the barista called, moving out from the counter.

The man suddenly cowered in fear, looking as though he just saw a ghost. He stared into the distance, at something from behind me. He covered his ears and looked as if he were in pain. "IT'S HERE!"

What?

The ground began to shake and the lights flickered on and off. The storm grew louder and lightning struck the ground outside. The customers began to scream as things started falling off shelves.

"EARTHQUAKE!" Someone shouted.

Instinctively I fell to the ground, covering my head and neck as I crouched under the table as I was taught in school. Noah dropped too and we huddled together, covering ourselves as the ground shook violently. Customers were screaming and the windows were shattering and letting in the cold wind. I saw the shards of glass shower the ground around me and I felt them hit my back. In fear, I grabbed onto Noah, searching for some sort of familiarity. He grabbed my hand too and shouted something at me that I couldn't hear.

In the corner of my eye I saw the homeless man grab onto Noah too. Purple lightning sprung from his touch. I screamed as it crackled around me and a circle appeared underneath us. I held onto Noah tighter as the ground shook even more, and the table above us flew out in the wind. The rain was hitting us, quickly soaking our clothes. A loud screeching penetrated my ears and I saw the ceiling crack.

Next thing I knew, it collapsed, and everything went dark.

* * *

When I woke up, all I saw was blinding white light. I blinked a few times to wake up more. My head was throbbing, my body was aching, and my hand was clenched tightly, for some reason. I unclenched it with some effort; my fingers were stiff and would not budge. When I relaxed my hand, I opened and closed it to get feeling to return to it. When I opened my eyes, I expected my room, with purple walls and keepsakes thumbtacked to them. I expected to be in my bed, with polka dot covers and my dog curled up on my side.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a white blankness.

Startled, I bolted up into a sitting position. Immediately my head throbbed in protest, and I clutched at my eyes, trying to settle the pain. I began remembering everything all at once: the earthquake, the building collapsing on me, and Noah.

Noah!

I looked around, desperate to find him.

I was met with more white.

I couldn't distinguish what was ground and ceiling, where the blank expanse ended or started. There was nothingness, and then there was me.

Did I die?

Was I dead?

I looked around in horror. There was nothing. Just white blankness.

"HELLO?" I shouted into the unknown. To my horror, there was no echo. I pushed myself to stand, staring in bewilderment around me. "WHERE AM I?" I screamed to the emptiness.

No answer.

My heart began to race and breathing became difficult. I couldn't think—what was I supposed to think?! Was I dead? Where am I?!

' _This is interesting,"_ I heard a voice say. It was unlike anything I've heard, but everything I've ever known.

I whirled around to see a figure of substance. It was difficult to differentiate where the figure started and where the white nothing ended. It kept morphing and changing into different silhouettes, yet I could see it settling into a humanoid, female body. Short and curvy with soft edges. It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize it was mimicking me. It sat a yard away from me, a mouth turned upward into a wide, toothy grin. It made me uneasy to see my own smile shifted into something so wicked.

" _You are not supposed to be here."_

I stared at it, unsure what to make of it. "W-who are you?"

It laughed at me.

" _Don't you know?"_

I ransacked my mind trying to think. Thoughts kept flying at me, but it couldn't be.

" _You know who I am."_

I felt my words get caught in my throat.

" _I am what you may call God, the universe, or perhaps Truth. I am All, and I am One, and I am You."_

"But you're not real," I found myself saying. Despite everything, I began to laugh. I was just dreaming. It bubbled out of my chest and through my mouth, and I laughed until my stomach hurt and tears sprang from my eyes. The being in front of me did not flinch, and only kept grinning.

" _Then tell me, how it is, that you are here?"_

Its voice became mine. A twisted, unfamiliar version of my voice.

" _You are not dreaming."_

My smile faded.

" _I know that you are afraid. I know that you're confused. But everything will be revealed in due time."_

I swallowed. My voice was weak and quiet. "What's happening?"

Its grin only grew bigger.

" _You have already paid what is due."_

I felt something grab my sleeve. Slowly, I looked behind me only to confirm my fears.

The huge doorway—the _Gate—_ appeared. Tiny hands wiggled and squirmed out of it, all reaching toward me. One by one, they grabbed what they could get their hands on. Locks of hair, fingers, clothes, my arms, legs. With each touch of the hands, it seared into my flesh, tightening their grips until I saw chunks of myself dissipate into the air. The Gate pulled me toward them and I felt myself sinking into a gelatinous darkness.

* * *

 **And that's the prologue. This story is the product of my first successful NaNoWriMo and I plan on updating this story once a week, every Thursday. Times may vary so keep a look out for the author notes!**

 **If you liked the Story, liked what you read, or even like Ivy, please review! Until next chap.**


	2. BOOK ONE: Switched

**Another one, let's go!**

 **BOOK ONE: Switched**

 **Chapter 1: Just a Dream**

 **Aka: You're Not Dreaming**

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I woke up and all I knew was that whatever I was laying on was _very_ uncomfortable.

I propped myself on my elbows and became very aware of the splitting headache settling in my brain. I was face down on hardwood and I willed myself to sit upright. When I came to, I blinked into the bright light.

There were strange faces gathered all around me. A dead silence peppered with hushed whispers as a dozen strangers stared at me with concerned eyes. I suddenly felt very small and very large all at once.

"Hey, you're up!" I looked up at the voice to find a woman with long black hair and startling clear blue eyes. She glared at the onlookers. "Okay, y'all can mind your own business now! Go on! Get!" The crowd dispersed, murmuring all the while with final looks in my direction. They sat in their respected seats, continuing on their meals at the tables before them.

The woman helped me up only to sit me down in a chair behind me. She placed her hand on my forehead and her brows scrunched together. "You fainted back there, miss. Had all of us worried." She had the twang of a southern accent and her hands were decorated in tiny scars that traveled up her porcelain arms. She put one hand on her hip.

"Sorry," I murmured, staring around me. It was a diner. A few customers were sat in their seats, enjoying meals and coffee. There was a counter where a few sat, and a kitchen was rumbling to life behind it. I saw the chef flipping pancakes and scrambling eggs, pieces of note book paper pinned on a clothesline above the window into the kitchen.

"Ya need some water, sweetheart? It's hot out and I don't want ya faintin' on me again," she said with worry lining her face.

 _I wasn't supposed to be here,_ I thought, looking at strangers faces and trying to recognize anyone or anything. I swallowed, shaking my head. "Where-where am I, exactly?"

She looked at me with confusion. Her voice was slow as she answered me. "Casey's Café." I saw on her shirt a pin with 'Casey' written on it in an elegant scrawl. "Ya sure you're alright?"

I clenched the hem of my shirt. "And where-where is that?"

She stared at me, frowning. "Ashwell."

Ashwell.

You gotta be messing with me.

"Ashwell, as in, town hidden in trees, Ashwell?" I asked, my mind whirling.

"That's right," she answered cautiously, looking me up and down. "Are ya alright?"

"No, I'm not," I answered as I stood up and ran out the door and onto the dirt road. I ran with my feet thudding against the dirt, kicking up dust behind me. This couldn't be right. No way. No freaking way was I where I think I was. There were trees all around me, trails leading in and out of the main street. People walked as though the world was not different and new and strange.

I saw a newspaper stand outside a convenience store and I stopped to look. I grabbed one and tore through it, looking for some inkling of where I was, hoping that it wasn't what I thought. I found the headline.

 _1\. June. 1915: Fuehrer Bradley and his family tour Amestris!_

No.

No, no, no, no.

I took off running again.

Amestris. I was in Amestris?! Ashwell, no less. It's just not possible. Memories flashed in my mind painfully. So painfully that I had to stop running and clutch at my head. My ears rung and my head throbbed in memories that I couldn't recall. I saw something. I know something. What is it?

Truth.

I saw Truth.

I tried to grasp at the fragments of memory I had of my encounter with Truth to no avail. My mind was either blocking it out or something else was preventing me from remembering. I felt chills go down my spine as I saw its grin, wide and unnerving.

I fell to my knees, too weak to support myself. My heart was racing a mile a minute and I couldn't breathe. It felt like my chest was caving in on itself, like the clothes I was wearing were too tight and restricting my breathing. I willed myself to calm down. I forced myself to breathe.

 _In, for five seconds._

 _Out for seven._

Now that I could breathe, I tried to ground myself. I touched my head, feeling and proving that I was here. Then my shoulders, then my arms, then my chest. And I went down my body like that, verifying that I was okay, and whole.

I paused at my hip, feeling something bulge out of my pocket.

I took it out and saw my dumb Full Metal Alchemist pocket watch. Oh, the irony.

Nonetheless, seeing it made me want to cry. It confirmed that I was sane, that this was a thing that was happening, and I wasn't dreaming. It's my anchor. A dumb, piece of merchandise was my foothold in this entire situation. How lame was that.

Wait. If I'm here, then…?

"NOAH?!"

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

My head was throbbing and I felt like I was hit by a bus. I felt something shake my shoulder and jab me in my rib cage. I tried opening my eyes but the light was too bright, so I squeezed them shut. The same thing hit me in my rib cage again, harder this time.

Reluctantly I opened my eyes to glare at the annoyance only to see a blue uniform.

Crap.

"Sir, do you know where you are?" The officer asked.

My head was throbbing so painfully, I felt like puking. "Enlighten me." I was never too sick to be a smartass.

The officer immediately frowned and glowered down at me. "You're asleep at a public park. You're clearly inebriated. I need you to come with me."

"Excuse me?" I finally snapped awake, taking in my surroundings. A few families stared at me disapprovingly, shielding their children from view. I was on a park bench, and in the distance I saw monkey bars and swings. The officer standing above me was not amused.

"You're under arrest for loitering." He grabbed my wrist and I ripped it away from him.

My head swirled in memories, flashing fragments at me. All of it was blurred and the more I concentrated on the fuzzy pictures, the more it seemed to slip away from me. I willed it to stay still and I almost had it until Officer Asshole took my shoulder and pinned me to the ground. I felt the air push forcefully out of my chest as he pressed his full weight into me.

"Don't resist arrest kid," he snapped, his knees digging into my back. He leaned in to my ear. "If you know what's good for you." He twisted my arms behind me roughly, slapping the handcuffs on and tightening them until it hurt.

I glared at him as he hauled me up and walked me to his car. Kids and parents were staring as I was guided down. I looked down at my feet to avoid the judging stares. We reached the car and I stopped. It was old and boxy. It was a model that I haven't seen in forever, except in the junkyard or online. He got irritated and shoved my head down into the backseat. When he shut the door, I kicked it out of spite. Where the hell am I?!

While the officer walked around the car, I finally had a chance to look around. It was the old fashioned car, the kind with no differentiated seats and no seat belts. When the guy finally opened the door and settled into the seat, he started the engine. It sounded old and roared to life noisily.

"Hey," I said, "Where am I right now?"

He stared at me unimpressed through the rear-mirror. "Central City Park. I'm taking you to the police station."

Central City? What?

Suddenly my head felt like it was going to explode. I groaned out in pain and doubled over, squeezing my eyes shut. Things kept flashing in my mind. Memories. Fuzzy memories. They were painful to remember so I tried blocking it out, but that just made the pain worse.

"Hey! Don't you dare puke back there! We're only five minutes away!"

Everything was happening too quickly. The hands, the darkness, the white, that guy—

Truth. Or God or whatever he was. I saw him.

I groaned again as the memories flashed in my brain.

The circle, I was pulled in. That homeless guy. The circle swallowed me. But not just me.

I sat up quickly, ignoring the pain in my temples. "Hey! You! Did you see a girl with me?!"

The officer sighed and didn't even spare me a look. "Look, you can meet up with your girlfriend later. Maybe she'll post your bail."

"No, you asshole! In the park! Was there a girl with me? Or somewhere near me? Short, tan, brown hair, brown eyes?" I explained.

He spared me a look this time, reluctantly. "No. I only got complaints about a sketchy teenage boy sleeping in the park. Nothing about a girl."

I sat back, leaning into the leather. He drove across the street unsteadily, every small bump and crack in the cement shaking the car's body. If she didn't show up where I was, then where was she?

It wasn't long until we showed up at the police station. The officer dug me out of the back seat and began leading me down the halls to where I'd be detained. The tile floor and desks we passed by seemed all too familiar as he guided me toward the back. Phones rung noisily and chatter with drunks, prostitutes, and others filled the muggy station. We made it to the back door, where the name 'HUGHES' was written on the front.

He knocked briefly once and a muffled 'Come in' sounded from behind the oak. We entered and I saw the commanding officer lounging in his chair, legs resting on his desk. He took the cuffs from behind my back and re-attached them to the bar hanging off the new officer's desk and pushed me down in the chair in front. I had to lean forward slightly; the cuff chains were way too short.

"What do you have for me, Anderson?" The new officer asked. His eyes were an odd green-hazel color and he adjusted his glasses as he looked me over. I hate that scrutinizing stare.

"Just a drunk kid that was sleeping in the park, sir. I understand you're busy, but—"

The man put his hand up. "At ease, Anderson. Just do what you have to do."

Anderson saluted stiffly, then left, closing the door behind him firmly.

The man took his feet off his desk and sat up in his chair.

"So, underage drinking?" He asked, a knowing smirk on his face as he itched the scruff on his jaw.

I ignored him, not in the mood to repeat what I already said. I eyed a framed picture of a little girl in pig tails, smiling and hugging a teddy bear.

"That's my daughter, Elycia," he said, grabbing the frame. He stared at it lovingly and I admit, it warmed my heart. I could physically see the love he had for his daughter. Then his voice jumped from a normal volume to a shout. "SHE'S JUST THE CUTEST THING YOU'VE EVER SEEN, RIGHT?!"

I was so startled, I could only stare.

He grinned. He leaned onto the desk in front of him, resting his chin in the palm of his hand and a big goofy smile on his face. "What's your name, son?"

I remained silent.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at me, the smile never leaving his face as he tried to figure me out. I only stared at his office, ignoring him. It was smaller than I thought the commanding officer's office would be. His desk was overflowing with files and paperwork. The one that was in front of him was open and I barely caught the word 'Scar' before he closed the file, gingerly resting it on top of the stack to his right.

"I'm Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes," he said, holding a hand out to me. I raised a brow at him and pointedly jiggled the cuffs that were still attached to his desk. He hit his forehead softly in a 'whoops' gesture as he leaned over and procured a key, unlocking me from the bar, but quickly cuffing my wrists again. I sat up straight, thankful I didn't have to hunch over anymore. He stuck his hand out again, the big smile on his face returning. When I didn't move, he only outstretched his hand further, closer to my face.

I rolled my eyes as I reached up and took his hand. He shook it vigorously.

"Now," he started, clapping his hands together. "I've been down this road before. You can either let me help you, or we sit here in silence, for as long as it takes." I frowned, scowling at him as he stared smugly back at me. "Whenever my darling Elycia gets upset, she gives me the silent treatment too."

He's comparing me to a toddler now?

He shrugged. "I have all night, son, and a lot of work to do, so if you don't feel like talking, you can sit there and watch." He calmly grabbed the same file and opened it. He leaned back in his chair and rested his feet on the desk, starting to read.

I glared at him as he brought a pen to his cheek. If he thinks something like this can break me, he is in for disappointment. Two can play at this game.

I leaned back in my chair, loudly putting my feet up on the desk too. He looked at me, an eyebrow raised. I shrugged.

He smirked, shook his head, and continued to read.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I paced the road, opening and closing the pocket watch in my hands. I knew people were staring at me, but they could mind their own business. I could care less at this point.

I closed my eyes, trying to remember.

We were at Starbucks. Then the homeless guy came in. What was he saying?

 _Soon._

That's right! He kept repeating, 'soon. I've heard the truth.'

The truth.

"That BASTARD!" I yelled out loud. A few people stopped to stare at me. I felt my face burn in embarrassment and looked down at my feet, avoiding their eyes.

That homeless guy. He was either being manipulated by Truth, or he knew something we didn't. And when he grabbed us, that had to be alchemy. But that made no sense! Alchemy doesn't exist on my side of the Gate. Right?

My head hurt. I'm alone. Who knows where Noah is. My family is probably worried sick about me.

The reality hasn't settled in yet. I know that this situation is less than ideal, to put it mildly. I know that my entire world and everything I thought was real was literally destroyed just a few hours ago. But for some reason, it hasn't hit yet. Maybe it's the shock. Maybe I'm dreaming. Maybe all of this is a dream.

I mean, FMA being real? I met Truth? I got zapped to a town I wrote about, that I thought was just part of a really bad fan fiction I wrote a few years back?

I mean, c'mon, my dream just plopped me into one of the most overdone fan fiction plots of all time. It's so unbelievable, that some of it _is_ believable, which is freaking me out.

 _BAM!_

I landed right on my ass. I was walking with my head down for so long, I'm surprised it took me this long to bump into someone. They were so solid; it was like I had walked into a brick wall. I looked up and smiled apologetically at them.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention—"

 _"You're_ a state alchemist?" A deep voice whispered in disbelief.

"Wha—?" When I saw who was in front of me, I froze. Deeply tanned skin, white hair, and eyes hidden by sunglasses that I would bet my life on were red. I looked down at where he was staring to see my replica pocket watch, still in my hand.

No.

I looked around me desperately, searching for some other life, someone to help me. In my daze, I had wandered into the forest that surrounded the town. Crap. How far was I from civilization? Why didn't I pay attention to where I was walking?!

He raised his right arm, pulling up the sleeve to reveal the tattoos I've only previously seen on a screen.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The god forsaken military has recruited children before."

He cracked his knuckles.

 _I was going to die._

* * *

 **As always, if you like the story, liked what you read, or like the characters, please follow and review! Until next chap.**


	3. Alone

**I'd like to thank** 300PASTA, dreamwithinadream262, TetraForce214, Blazingfyres, kitty. bee1904 **and** Guest **for reviewing. I'm so happy you're enjoying it and I'm relieved to hear it's actually an improvement from before! Thank you so much!**

 **Anyway, onto the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: All Alone**

 **Aka: You're Not Alone**

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I was going to die. That's what was going to happen. Not even 24 hours in this fuck-fest and I was dead because of a pocket watch.

Scar took a step toward me and all I could manage was scream. My mind conjured up the pain and image of my impending death, how it was going to feel when he blew my brains out. But...But this isn't what was supposed to happen! In those fan fictions, I go shopping with Ed and Al! I tag along with their missions, find Noah, befriend everyone, and learn alchemy! Isn't that how those type of stories go? Everything falls into place perfectly, the enemy shows up and is defeated somehow easily?

But no. I'm alone. I'm terrified. And I'm about to die.

 _I didn't want to die._

Suddenly something burst inside of me. I didn't know what it was, but next thing I knew, my mouth was open. "WAIT! Wait, wait, hold on!" I shrieked, hands in front of me in surrender. "You can't kill me! I'm not a State Alchemist!"

He paused to regard me. "Lying will do you no good," he said simply, staring at the thing dangling on my hip.

I yanked it from my pocket to show him. "It's a fake! A phony, plastic, fake! You can look at it if you want!" I didn't even care if Scar didn't know what plastic was, but I continued on. "I'm not from here! My home is in San Francisco, California! I come from America! It's this whole other-other DIMENSION!" I wasn't sure if he believed me due to the confused look on his face, but my panicked babbling did make him lower his hand from my head.

"Explain."

I nodded eagerly, tears welling up in my eyes. "I-I was in this coffee shop with this really cute guy who I punched in the face. We-we had hot chocolate and all was really, really good but there was this weird homeless guy!" I paused, trying to figure the right words. "I mean, I think he was homeless; he was all disheveled and-and looked dirty and his clothes looked like he hadn't washed them in _forever-"_

I saw the patience in his face dwindle, so I moved on. "Anyway, I-I, I mean, we, _we_ were just sitting there when he started shouting at me from the window. I couldn't hear him, but he came inside, and was shouting about how s-something was happening soon, and that he heard Truth, and suddenly there was an earthquake. The coffee shop started falling apart, and Noah— the guy I was with— and I were under the table, trying to protect ourselves, but he _grabbed_ us! He grabbed us, and then this weird purple lightning happened and—I think it was a transmutation happening— and suddenly I was being pulled into this-this _Gate_ thing, and it pulled me through, and I woke up here with you about to kill me!"

I finished my story, panting. I hadn't realized I wasn't taking breaths in between my explanation. I swallowed, staring up at the scarred man who just stared at me back.

But then I saw it. An opening.

I knew that Scar probably didn't care for my story. He was going to kill me anyway. I had to take my shot. I sucked up any fear I had and scrambled up, running at full speed away from the crazy and now confused killer.

"You will not escape!" I heard Scar shout behind me.

Suddenly the ground beneath my feet shot up into razor sharp pillars of rock. I narrowly avoided them, but I wasn't quick enough; it got me in my right arm. It tore at my flesh and grazed all along the side of my shoulder, making me screech in pain. My overdue tears flowed down my face but I continued to run, and run, and run, and my lungs were burning and my knees were hurting and I was painfully aware of how out of shape I was.

I didn't know how long I was running, only that I hadn't stopped. My legs were like machines, my mind on autopilot as I kept moving forward. The trees went by in a blur and I felt my foot get caught on a rock in the floor beneath me. I stumbled, falling briefly, and the exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks. I slowed down, my breath sticking to my lungs and choking my throat.

I stopped, stumbling along the dirt path and using trees as crutches. I looked down at my arm and I felt like puking. I was bleeding. So much. I was literally leaving a blood trail. There was so much blood I couldn't even see the wound. I was frozen, feeling sick to my stomach.

The world around me started to go fuzzy and my head swirled. Oh god. I lost too much blood. I was going to pass out.

 _Stop the blood flow,_ a voice in my head echoed. _Put pressure on the wound._

I looked to see what I could use, sitting— _falling—_ at the base of a tree. The only thing I had was my shirt. I brought the hem to my mouth and bit as hard as I could, trying to tear the fabric away. With some effort, it began to rip. I tore off the strip and put it around where the pain was. My blood began to soak through the fabric.

It was hard to tie a knot with only one hand, but I managed by putting one end in my mouth and pulling it taut. I squeezed my shoulder and it erupted in pain. I swallowed my cries of pain and rested my head against the tree trunk, panting and desperately trying not to faint.

Then I heard footsteps.

My heart began to race. Was it Scar? Was this it? Is this how I die?

"Here! The trail goes here!" I heard someone shout. The voice sounded young.

I had to be hallucinating because I saw a huge suit of armor emerge from the foliage. When it saw me, it ran, metal banging against the ground noisily.

"BROTHER! I FOUND THEM!" The young voice I heard from before suddenly shouted from inside the armor.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

When I came to, I was in a hospital. I squinted at the painfully white walls. There were posters about how not to catch a cold and magazines were set on the nightstand next to me. I must've been rushed to the hospital after the Starbucks collapsed on us. I wonder if Noah was here too?

I felt a smile escape my lips. It was just a dream! A very weird, vivid dream, but a dream nonetheless. I could actually feel the wound Scar gave me and my heart was still pounding. I giggled a little bit. I mean, really? I went into Full Metal Alchemist? What a nightmare...

I sat up in the uncomfortable and stiff hospital bed and bunched the gray, thin sheet in my hand. My other arm was in a sling. I must've injured my arm in the earthquake.

I paused. For someone who survived a building collapsing on them, I was relatively unhurt. I mean, shouldn't I be more injured than just my arm?

The door opened. A suit of armor walked in.

I screamed.

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

It's been hours, and I am dying of boredom.

My leg was bouncing up and down to keep myself busy. Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes was writing away at a report and the pile of files that overflowed his desk was now dwindling to only a few left. Officers had come in from time to time, to hand a report he needed to sign off on, or to take the finished files off his desk. At the start, each person who walked in stared at me in confusion, but as time passed, they got used to me, ignoring my presence all together, just like him.

Once or twice he had to make a few phone calls and the telephone he had was the old, _old_ one where you took the ear piece off and had to hold it up to your ear while speaking into the long pole, speaker thing. Why did he have that? Where was the computer? Why did the cars look the way they did? I had so many questions, but I didn't dare open my mouth.

The phone rang again and he didn't spare me a glance as he pulled it toward him and answered. "Lt. Colonel Hughes." His face brightened and a wide smile spread across his face. "Gracia-honey! How are you?" He paused as the voice— who I assume is his wife—talked. "Oh, I see. Yeah, I'm working late again; you can just stick my dinner in the fridge." The mention of food caught my attention.

Oh god, when was the last time I ate anything? I'm starving.

He continued talking to his wife and my empty stomach betrayed me and growled loudly. He turned his head to me and looked as if he had forgotten I was there. Then a shit-eating grin spread on his face as he said his goodbyes. "Yes, I love you too. Kiss Elycia goodnight for me." He hung up and looked at me smugly. "Hungry, are we?"

I tried to ignore him but my stomach was a traitor and made another noise.

He laughed. "Tell you what: I'll get you some food," I perked up, " _if_ you talk to me."

I scowled, slumping in the chair. He knew he won when my stomach growled again. His smug face irritated me. "Noah," I muttered.

"Sorry, what was that?" He asked, cupping his ear.

"Noah," I grumbled, louder. "My name is Noah Shasta."

I didn't think his grin could get bigger. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Noah!" He said cheerfully. He closed the report he was working on and leaned forward, resting his chin in his palm. "Do you care to tell me how you ended up in that park? _Your_ story, not whatever Anderson was saying."

"What?"

"I didn't think for a second you were drunk," he said, surprising me further. "I'm sorry that Anderson treated you the way he did. He's one of those bitter old men who think all teens are troublemakers."

I was shocked. The only cops I've ever met were assholes who went around accusing everyone of anything they could just to do it. His eyes were earnest as he looked at me. Huh. There weren't that many good cops around.

"I lost someone," I told him.

"How long have they been lost?" he asked, concern now lining his features.

"A day, I think," I admitted. "Something happened." I thought about the Starbucks. The weird circle below me. That doorway and the world of white. My brows cinched together. "I have to find her."

He studied me for a second before opening a drawer. He rustled through papers and whatever junk was inside it until he slipped a form out. He pushed the drawer closed again, the sound of metal hitting metal ricocheting in my ears. He grabbed his pen as he laid the paper on his desk. The top of it read: _Missing Persons Report._

"What's her name?"

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I didn't mean to scream. It just kinda slipped out.

"Oh! Oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!" The suit of armor, that I'm now aware is Alphonse Elric, waved his hands around for expression, since he couldn't make a face himself. It was weird, seeing an actual suit of armor.

It was terrifying.

I always thought he was cute, in the anime. It was unfortunate to be trapped in a suit, but the way he was drawn was never...scary. Alphonse was intimidating as all hell. No wonder people thought he was the Full Metal Alchemist.

Wait. The Full Metal Alchemist. If Alphonse is here, then is Edward?

I realized I hadn't spoken in a really long time. "Oh, um, no it's fine. You...startled me, is all."

If he was here, then that means it wasn't a dream. A pit grew in my stomach at the realization.

"I can imagine," he said. He moved to the chair next to my bed, his armor clanging on the linoleum floor. When he sat down, the metal creaked in its joints. "My brother and I found you in pretty bad shape. You lost a lot of blood." Flashes of Scar and the horror of everything appeared in my mind. "What happened?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but closed it. Do I tell them about Scar?

 _They deserve to know a rampaging state alchemist killer is in the area._

"I was attacked by, uh, a guy...with a...an X-shaped scar on-on his face," I stuttered, waving my hand in front of my face to find my words. I wouldn't know who Scar was as a civilian, right?

He straightened up in his seat. His voice was low and serious. "My brother and I know him. He's very dangerous."

 _Yep, I figured._

"You're lucky you managed to get away relatively unhurt," he told me. I reached up instinctively to touch my arm, flinching in pain. He seemed to soften when he saw. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to scare you."

"It's okay," I said quickly. "I'm glad you found me." Honestly. I'd hate to imagine what would have happened if they didn't.

He rubbed the back of his helmet to convey shyness. It was sad, but endearing, how he managed to find ways to show human emotions, even trapped in armor like he was. "I'm Alphonse Elric. What's your name?"

 _My name is, your name is, what is it? What will you say?_

"Ivy Thompson. It's nice to meet you," I told him.

 _Don't you mean it's nice to 'finally meet you'? Why play dumb?_

 _Wait. I know. You have to. Who will believe you even if you did tell the truth? Scar certainly didn't._

My inner voice is getting downright mean.

The door opened again and the first thing I saw was a bright red coat. His eyes were the next thing I noticed: gold. It was so pale in color you can barely see it, fading into the whites of his eyes. As he walked toward me, I saw the darker amber outline around the gold irises. Long dirty blonde hair was pulled out of his face in a braid, some hair too short to be contained spilling out on the sides and across his forehead. At first I didn't recognize him; I had to do a double take. Long blonde hair, red coat. By all means, he was Edward Elric. Seeing him not drawn and in person was...

Weird.

"Brother!" Al said, breaking the silence. "Ivy, this is my older brother, Edward. Edward, this is Ivy Thompson."

"Hey," he said curtly. His voice was a lot different than what I expected. Lower, gruffer. Definitely not Vic Mignogna's delicate voice. He walked around to where Alphonse was, studying me. He didn't sit and seeing him stand next to Alphonse's sitting form made me aware of why they call him short. Alphonse was easily six-foot-something, nearly seven-foot, standing, and sitting, he was still tall. Edward only met his spiked shoulder when he was in a chair.

Alphonse was the one to break the awkward silence. "Brother, Scar was the one who attacked her."

His expression shifted immediately. His brows pinched together and he crossed his arms over his chest, trying to conceal his worry. Was he always this transparent with his emotions?

"How did you survive a run in with that maniac?" He asked incredulously.

"Hell if I know," I snorted.

He gave a half smile, loosening up. "I'm glad you did. You gave us a scare, kid. You're lucky."

"Alphonse told me the same thing. Thank you, for bringing me here," I said, looking at both of them. "Really."

"Don't worry about it," Ed said at the same time Al said, "No problem."

"However," Ed interjected. I looked up at him. "There's one thing that doesn't add up. Why was Scar after you? Random girl doesn't fit his MO."

"I..." Shit. Do I mention the pocket watch?

 _And ruin the balance of the story? Are you crazy? These guys save the world. And since you're in this world now, you_ have _to care. They can't know anything._

"...don't remember."

 _Really? That's the best you can come up with?_

"You….don't remember?" Ed asked, eyebrows raised. "I don't believe you."

"Brother," Al admonished. "She just went through a traumatic experience."

"But it doesn't make sense, Al," he pushed, sounding impatient.

"I'm sorry, I just," I cleared my throat, trying to stall for time to figure out what lie I was going to spew. "All I remember is that man coming after me and that I was looking for my…"

How do I describe Noah?

"….my friend. Everything before then is a blur."

I felt a lump grow in my throat. I felt so guilty about lying to them. They saved my life, and this is how I repay them? Tears started welling in my eyes and I cursed under my breath, clenching my jaw to try and will the tears not to fall.

My voice was thick with emotion. "I wish I can help you, but I just can't remember anything."

And then it hit me.

I was trapped here. Ed and Al being there was proof: I was in some other dimension, alone. The only other person I know is missing; possibly dead. I nearly _died._ Like? I was just some kid who only worried about whether she was going to prom or if she was going to pass her classes. Now I'm some no-name kid who has to worry about not being murdered.

And how long have I been here? Are my parents looking for me? Am I missing? They must be worried sick about me. I can't die. My little sister is going to grow up without me around to guide her and teach her, and do all the big sister things I promised her.

 _You're all alone._

"Oh no, please don't cry!"

I looked up and reality came rushing back to me. For a moment, I forgot where I was, who I was with. I blinked, feeling hot tears fall down my cheeks and my vision cleared to see Alphonse and Edward looking extremely uncomfortable and awkward.

Instantly, I scrubbed at my cheeks, but it only made me aware that I was crying. And when I'm aware that I'm crying, I cry harder. And because I'm crying profusely, I became angry that I was crying. And I cry when I'm angry.

It's a vicious cycle.

"I, um," he coughed awkwardly. "There, there?" Ed hesitantly patted my leg

I tried saying something but it just came out in garbled sobs.

"Hey, hey, it's alright!" Al exclaimed, looking to and fro. I somehow made a suit of armor panicked. He was so flustered I could literally feel the awkwardness emanate from him.

I wanted to die.

* * *

I sniffled, balling tissues in my hands. Alphonse had thankfully found a box on the nightstand and gave it to me. After having my embarrassing breakdown, I had calmed down enough to form coherent sentences again and to stop crying. My voice was still shaky and I felt my eyes starting to get puffy. I must look like a mess.

Edward was trying his best not to look at me anymore, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, now that we know you're okay, I guess this is goodbye."

Alphonse nodded and stood up. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Ivy. I wish you luck for finding your friend and I hope you get better soon."

Panic rose in my throat. It was like the scene was in slow motion, the two of them turning. If they left that room, I was alone. Truly alone. Left to fend for myself.

Without meaning to, I reached out and grabbed a fistful of Edward's coat.

Both brothers regarded me. Edward looked down at my hand, still clutching at his coat. I didn't want to let go, but I did like the coat was on fire, and instantly muttered a 'sorry.'

"I just…"

I didn't know what to say. They've already done so much for me.

Edward looked at me expectantly.

"Can I please…" I lowered my voice into an ashamed whisper. "go with you?"

He certainly didn't expect that.

"What?"

I felt my cheeks burn and I wanted to take back that question as soon as it left my mouth, but I said it for a reason. "I-I just, well, I, uh," I was babbling like an idiot and I looked away, hoping not seeing either of them would strengthen my resolve. "I want to file a missing person's report. I don't know where to go or who my family is or where I live, and I'm hoping if I go to a military headquarters, they'll know who I am and help me out, and help me find my friend. And I just…." I swallowed. "I feel safe with you guys. I don't know what I'd do if that Scar guy found me again."

Edward only stared at me and his gaze made me want to burst into flames.

"I know it's a lot, and I'm so sorry for asking you to help some random girl you just met, and I completely understand if you say no."

Alphonse looked at his brother. I don't know what sort of mental conversation they had, and I don't know how Ed managed to know how to read an inanimate object's face, but he did, and he sighed, running a hand through his bangs.

"Brother…" Alphonse trailed off, still staring at him.

"Don't worry, Al," he replied, training his gold eyes on me. He gave me a reassuring smile, seeing how nervous I was. "Sure, kid. Lucky for you, I happen to be a state alchemist."

He reached into his pocket and flashed me his pocket watch. The metal gleamed in the harsh hospital lighting. I was surprised at the resemblance; I figured that maybe the details wouldn't be the same, since things are different in real life, but the watch looked the same as my fake one.

"I can get you in HQ easy, and you're in the hands of the Full Metal Alchemist, which means you're the safest you can be," he said proudly, a grin creeping onto his face. It was cute, how cocky he was.

"Thank you," I said, feeling a lump grow in my throat.

 _Don't you cry; not again._

* * *

XoXo… Noah's POV ….XoXo

* * *

Hughes stood and tacked the form to a board behind him. "We'll find Ivy, Noah. I promise."

I knew he couldn't promise something like that; there was no guarantee he could especially since I didn't have a photo for him to go off on. Nonetheless, the sentiment behind his statement made me feel a little bit better. After all, what if she didn't get zapped here like I did? For all I know, she didn't. I felt my stomach drop. But for that slim chance she was, I had to at least try.

He walked around the desk with a key in hand. He grabbed my hand and unlocked the hand cuffs. I instantly began rubbing my sore wrists. "Thanks."

"Don't worry about it," he said, throwing the pair on his desk. He turned and opened the door, motioning for me to follow.

The station was a lot emptier now. I guess most of their shifts had ended. Only a few officers were at their desks, making phone calls and working on paperwork. I guessed the rest were on patrol. The few that were there stared at me as I followed behind Hughes. They called out their goodbyes and we exited the station.

The air was a lot chillier now and I reflexively hugged my arms to my chest. The sky was no longer blue and oranges and reds took its place. People still milled about, chatting to each other, and women on dates clung to the arms of their partners while some school kids crossed the streets, their backpacks bouncing behind them.

"Where do you live, son? I can drop you off after we get some food in ya," the Lt. Colonel offered cheerfully.

My gut dropped. What was I supposed to say?

Hughes furrowed his brows in confusion. "Or do you want me to call your parents, and they can come pick you up?" He asked slowly, unsure of himself.

I stayed silent, not knowing what to say.

He took hold of both my shoulders and made me look at him. I reluctantly made eye contact. "Noah. Do you have some place to go? Or someone that takes care of you?" His voice was even, but stern, and the way he looked at me made a ball of guilt form in the back of my throat.

My silence was all the information he needed.

He looked at me in the way only a father could. His eyes softened into an emotion I couldn't place. "I see." His voice was raw with compassion as he led me to his car. It was the same old fashioned model, but didn't bare the logo of the police department on the side. After I closed the door behind me, he stuck his key in the ignition and the engine flipped over.

The Gatekeeper's voice echoed in my mind as we drove in silence.

 _You don't have a home._

* * *

 **I'm sticking to a schedule! Holy cow! Who knew I had it in me?**

 **I was wondering if you guys like the schedule or if you'd prefer it was updated on a different day. I chose Thursday because it was the last day of November, but if there's a different day that would work better for you all, please let me know! I was also considering posting two days a week too. I don't know if I can guarantee I'd _always_ be able to do two times a week, but if you wouldn't mind the occasional surprise every now and then, I'd be down if you all are. **

**If you liked the story, liked what you read, or like me, please follow and review! Thank you so much for reading. Until next chap.**


	4. Mother Dearest

**Chapter 3: Mother Dearest**

 **Aka: You're Not Her**

* * *

XoXo… Ivy's POV …XoXo

* * *

After leaving the hospital, Edward had gone to look into the leads they were originally in town for and Alphonse was my bodyguard for the time being, if Scar came back. I don't know what leads they were looking into; they were very hush-hush about it and vague. Since I was an amnesiac Jane Doe, I had no home to go back to to grab clothes or traveling things. The only things I had were the clothes I had already been in and the pocket watch I made sure to keep hidden. Apparently, the train ride to East City HQ was a three day trip. So I was told to go with Alphonse and buy whatever I may need, considering I had nothing, and to, generously, not worry about the cost.

I glanced at Alphonse who was clanging noisily by my side, a towering and fearsome suit of armor, as we looked for clothing stores and the like. It made me want to laugh. I was living out a fan fiction trope, 'shopping with the protagonists.' It was weirder to be experiencing, because instead of witty banter and playful flirting, it was just loads of awkward silences that neither of us knew how to fill.

I was glad for the silence. It gave me a chance to breathe.

Ashwell was almost exactly how I imagined it to be, in my old fan fiction. It was the 'town hidden in trees,' responsible for the lumber and woodwork for Amestris. It was full of winding dirt paths that trailed in and out of the forest, quiet townsfolk, and small shops. Not all of it was how it was in my head, as there were people I didn't recognize and no shops I thought of. It was also a lot bigger than I imagined. It all made me uneasy.

By all means, this town should not exist. It was a made up town that I came up with in a crappy fan fiction back when I was eleven and a huge nerd of FMA. Why was it here? More importantly, how did this…dimension exist at all? I'd get it if it was just some alternate world, but there shouldn't be an entire franchise that told the story of it.

Hell, for all I know, maybe the entire storyline of FMA was off. If a town I imagined turned out to be real, but different, who's to say that FMA pans out the way Hiromu Arakawa said it would. Maybe the entire story was made up, but kept elements that existed, like how I thought of Ashwell, but not everything's the same.

But then, how did I even know to think of Ashwell? How did Hiromu even think of these characters that were actual people? Considering Alphonse was still a suit of armor, maybe she got that entire story right too. But why? How was it possible? If on my side of the Gate, we got the story right, does that mean on this side there was a story that told about our world?

Thinking about it made my head hurt. I needed a notebook to write all this down.

"So," Alphonse said, breaking the silence. His voice brought me out of my reverie.

"So," I replied.

There was a long pause.

"You said you were looking for a friend," Al said. "What are they like?"

"Oh."

"If you remember, of course!" Al blurted out, nervously, trying not to offend my fake amnesiac condition. "If you don't, that's fine. I'm just curious."

I smiled at him. Hearing his young boyish voice, still cracking with puberty, conveying the emotions and expressions he couldn't physically give. It was weird to hear his voice coming from this terrifying armor, meant to strike fear in enemies, sound so sweet.

"To tell you the truth, I can't tell you much," I admitted, looking down at my feet as they walked through the dirt, kicking up dust as I went. "I don't know him that well."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," I started, racking my brain to see if I should lie or tell the truth. It hurt to have to contemplate that each time I spoke with either of the Elrics. "It's foggy, the memory." I felt myself cringe at how embarrassing my first impression was. "He, uh, defended me from this creep. And I repaid him by," I laughed awkwardly. "Punching him in the face?"

"You _what_?" his voice was surprised and confused and amused all at once.

"I know, I know, I'm terrible," I said, feeling my face heat up. "But he snuck up on me, and I was jumpy, and that was my first instinct. He bought me hot chocolate and we…." I decided to stop, before jumping into the earthquake story and the whole how I got here thing. "His name is Noah Shasta. And I have to find him."

He was silent for a little bit as we walked side by side. I finally found a clothing store and I sheepishly gestured to it, and he nodded, and we walked in, the bell chiming to let the storekeeper know of our presence. Despite being told to not worry about the prices, I did. Although, it was all in a different currency and I didn't know what the hell it all meant. Cens? Is that their dollar? How much is it all worth? It's only in hundreds, for christ's sake. I decided to keep to where the lower hundreds were, hoping it wasn't a lot.

As I was perusing some shirts that looked around my size, Al spoke up.

"You will."

"Huh?" I asked, looking up at him.

"You will find him. I'm sure of it," he told me, sounding convinced.

I only stared, not knowing how to respond to that. A smile spread across my face and I darted my head down to the shirts again, hiding my stupid expression. "Thanks."

I grabbed essentials, not trying to be fancy or anything. Just a few plain t shirts, jeans, shorts…underwear and bras. Anything I might need. After all, I wasn't going to find my 'home' where all my belongings were. This was going to be all I own. And as guilty as I felt using their money, I had to take advantage of the opportunity.

I had a pile of clothes in my arms and I headed to the back where the fitting rooms were, to make sure it was my size and all. When I closed the curtain to ensure my privacy, I was face to face with a mirror. It was the first time I had the chance to see myself ever since this all started.

I looked like hell. My hair was a mess and I looked so…scared. My almond brown eyes looked big and nervous. I smoothed my hair, making a mental note to buy hair bands or clips. I didn't notice my hair getting so long. My shirt was ripped and showed some of my stomach, and blood stained the right side of it. I was a downright mess.

I looked away, unable to look myself in the eye. I was afraid I was going to start crying again, so I just took off my clothes and tried the new ones on, to verify if they fit or not.

* * *

It was sunset when we had left the hospital and it was nighttime by the time we ended our shopping trip. The air got chilly so I had already slipped on my new army green jacket. Alphonse insisted on carrying the two bags back to the hotel. He wouldn't take no for an answer, so we compromised by letting me carry the big suitcase. We had hit convenience stores to buy toothbrushes and all of my toiletry essentials in addition to a whole new wardrobe. I kept thanking him over and over again, but he told me the real thanks was to be given to Edward, since it was on his military tab.

I kept thanking Alphonse anyway for coming with me on the shopping trip.

We came to the hotel, or more like the Bed and Breakfast. It was a cute little three-story building with a garden in front, a tiny gate bridging the gap between the hedges that surrounded the place. The inside was warm and cozy and a tiny old woman greeted us when we walked in. There were knickknacks littering bookshelves and pictures of people who were part of the family that ran it.

Their room was on the second floor so we walked up the stairs to it. Alphonse procured a key from…somewhere, and unlocked the door. Inside the room was the same as the rest of the Bed and Breakfast, with red sofas, flowers in vases, and knickknacks littering every surface that had room.

To my surprise, Edward was already inside, lounging on one of the sofas. He was sprawled out, a leg hooked around the top of the couch, a book in his hand. He looked up when he heard the door open and the rustling of paper bags. He eyed the two large shopping bags.

"Get everything you need?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you so much for everything you're doing for me," I said instantly, giving him the rehearsed line I had been giving Alphonse the whole walk back.

He waved it off, standing and stretching. He groaned at a few pops and looked over at us. "I've been waiting for you guys. I'm starving, lets get some food."

* * *

XoXo… Noah's POV …XoXo

* * *

Maes Hughes lived in the suburbs, past the inner city circle. The roads were wide and the sidewalks were cobblestone. I tried to recognize street names or areas, but none of it looked like San Francisco. Townhouses started becoming more frequent and we pulled in front of a tall building. The engine died with a sputter, and we both got out. The building was square and the architecture was old, yet it looked as though it had been built recently. The windows that rowed along every story had tiny balconies, flower pots hanging over the side of a few.

"This is me," Hughes announced. He motioned me forward. "I'm on the third floor."

* * *

XoXo… Ivy's POV …XoXo

* * *

"Get whatever you want," Edward told me, staring down at the menu.

He said it so casually, like he didn't even think of money. How much money did he have? To think he was only a little bit older than me, and had heaping piles of cash to just go out and throw wherever. State alchemists must be paid hella.

As I perused the menu, I felt my mouth water. It just occurred to me that I hadn't eaten at all since this…thing happened. Steaks and mash potatoes and soup and holy crap there's way too many options and all of them sound good.

"What would you like, dear?" Came the old woman. Oh god she came so quickly. And I have no idea what I want.

Edward and Alphonse stared at me expectantly. Oh god, they already ordered. I'm holding up this exchange.

I panicked. "Caesar salad."

A salad? I don't even _like_ salad. Ugh.

"And coffee. Please!" I added.

The old lady nodded her head. "I'll be right back with all of that."

Ed looked at me quizzically. "A salad?"

"I panicked!"

He shook his head and I saw a smirk on his face. How embarrassing.

She came back with our drinks and Ed had also ordered coffee. She poured us two mugs, handing one to me and one to him. There was cream and sugar on a tray. I reached for the creamer as Ed took a tentative sip.

"So, Ivy," Al piped up. I looked up, stirring in my two spoonfuls of sugar. "How's your arm?"

I blinked, looking down at my shoulder, bandaged all the way down to my elbow. To be honest, I completely forgot about it. For just a moment. I moved my shoulder and grimaced. I reflexively reached up to touch it. "Sore, but I'm fine, really. I'm all stitched up, so I should be fine."

Al seemed to relax, I think, because his armor creaked as his form became less rigid. "I'm glad."

"The real question is," Ed interrupted, studying me. "Why Scar was after you in the first place. Maybe we'll find answers when we get back to HQ, find out who you are and why he'd target you."

I stared into my coffee, putting my hands around the mug to feel the warmth spread into my fingertips. "Yeah," I replied, quietly. I knew why he was after me. He thought I was in the military. There would be no background to even find on me. I didn't exist here until a little while ago.

I took a sip. The taste of espresso exploded on my tongue pleasantly, and I closed my eyes in bliss as the warmth traveled down my throat and spread through my chest. That feeling when you take the first sip of coffee could cure diseases, I swear.

"Here you are, dearie." The old woman was back, pushing a cart next to the table. On it were plates of steak and mash—Edward's— and my big bowl of salad with a generous helping of croutons and dressing. I was never a salad person, but considering the low rumbling in my stomach, it looked like the most appealing thing in the universe.

When she set our plates in front of us, Edward wasted no time and dug in immediately. I thanked her and she put down a bowl of bread, cookies, and a dish of butter, sending a wink my way.

"If there's anything else you want, let me know," she said and hobbled away, leaving us to eat.

When I stabbed my fork into the lettuce I heard a satisfying crunch and my mouth began to water all over again. I began stuffing my face with salad, and it was the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. When did salad suddenly become exciting? I guess hunger does that to you.

As Edward and I chowed down, I saw Alphonse sit quietly across from me and without thinking, I said, "Go ahead and eat something, Alphonse."

I saw him stiffen in his seat and even Edward flinched at my words, pausing his ravaging of food. Alphonse laughed awkwardly.

"I'm on a diet, actually!" He said, fake cheerily, shaking his hand dismissively.

Crap. How insensitive of me.

"Al's eyes have always been bigger than his stomach too. He ate while you were out cold," Ed lied, suddenly finding his food very interesting.

I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling ashamed of myself. I knew of his situation, and I _still_ said that, on accident. He must get that so much. How often he had to lie. I wonder how much he missed food. I suddenly felt really guilty for eating in front of him.

He noticed my hesitance I guess because Al said, "Don't hold back on my account."

I nodded and faced my food again. The rest of the meal was spent in silence.

* * *

XoXo…Noah's POV …XoXo

* * *

When he opened the door, I was hit with a wave of warmth that fixed the chill in the air. He shooed me in and I followed, bringing my hands to my face, breathing on them to bring warmth back to the fingertips. It was a nice place. The walls were a warm brown and a long couch and chair were gathered around a coffee table. The coffee table was littered with crayons and kid drawings. Toys were scattered around the rug.

"Sorry it's a mess; I've got a toddler," Hughes chuckled, locking the door behind him. He dropped his keys into a bowl next to the door and hung his coat up on the coat rack. He checked his watch. "Gracia is probably in Elycia's room trying to get her to bed, if she isn't asleep already."

I nodded.

"Sit," he offered, pointing to a dining table in the next room over. "I'll see what we have for dinner."

As he ducked into the kitchen area, I walked to the dining table hesitantly. It was a mahogany wood that matched the coffee table in the living room. The kitchen was attached to the dining room and I saw Hughes opening the cabinets to produce two plates. Next to him I saw a serving platter with aluminum foil over it and I felt my mouth water when he removed it to reveal steak and mash potatoes.

Once he set my plate down in front of me, I eagerly dug in. I didn't even care that it was cold; I was starving. He watched me eat for a bit, resting his chin in his palm.

"Maes?"

I turned around in my seat at the voice and I froze.

A warm smile spread across Hughes' face as he stood and greeted the woman. He leaned down a pressed a loving kiss on her cheek and turned back to me, an arm slung around her waist. "Noah, this is my beautiful wife Gracia. Gracia, this is Noah Shasta."

Light brown hair hugged her heart-shaped face. Her sparkling green eyes looked at me with surprise and she blinked twice in confusion.

I tried to speak, but the words died in my throat.

She took the initiative.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Noah," she said, taking a step toward me.

 _Meet me?_

Her voice was sweet and steady, a voice I thought I'd never hear again. She stuck her hand out gently and I scrambled out of my seat to stand. I grasped her hand softly, afraid if I touched her, the illusion would shatter. Her pink lips came together and smiled.

"The pleasure is mine," I managed to say. I hoped my voice didn't crack; I couldn't hear myself. I was so focused on the feeling of her soft, warm hand in mine. I drunk in the sight of her. I mesmerized every feature of her face as she looked up at her husband. He was saying something, but all I could hear was my heartbeat in my ears. Her brows knitted together as she looked at me in that concerned way I remembered.

"You don't have anywhere to stay?" she asked, snapping me out of my trance. I shook my head and she smiled forlornly at me. "You can stay with us for as long as you need."

"Mommy?"

A child emerged from behind them, sleepily rubbing at her eyes, a blanket clutched in her other hand. Her hair was unruly, contained by the two pigtails on her head. Her eyes were the same green of her moms. The same as mine.

"Elycia! I'm sorry, honey, did we wake you?" Hughes exclaimed, swooping her up in his arms. She shook her head slowly as she buried her head in the crook of his neck. He chuckled. "Poor girl. Let me put you down for bed." He turned to me. "Go on and eat. I'll be right back."

Gracia was the one to speak next. "Do you have any clothes?" she asked. I shook my head. I didn't have anything, which was a strange thing to realize. "I see. I'll go scrounge up some of Maes' old clothes we were about to donate. Go ahead and eat; I'll be right back."

When she left, I released the breath I didn't know I was holding.

" _Mommy?"_

The word still stung.

The scabbed over, white scars reopened as if the wound was fresh.

I stared down at my food, no longer hungry.

It was impossible. She died _years_ ago. How was she here? I closed my eyes, remembering her face, her voice, her smile. My heart ached at the memory. I shook my head.

My mother's name was Gwen. Not Gracia.

 _It wasn't her,_ I repeated over and over in my head like a mantra.

I stuck my fork in a piece of steak, forcing myself to finish the plate.

* * *

XoXo… Ivy's POV …XoXo

* * *

After dinner, it was already pitch black outside. Over tea and cookies, Edward and Alphonse were running me through the trip and what times to prepare for. We were to leave the Bed and Breakfast at 5AM to catch the 5:45AM train. Then it was a five hour trip until we hit Mainz, where we get off. Wait an hour until the next train to Bremen where we'll be riding for a day and a half. After that, it's loads of different transfers that I just kind of stopped trying to keep track of.

It's a three day trip.

Three days to figure out what to do once I find Noah. _If_ I find Noah.

I was folding clothes into my suitcase while Alphonse read a book next to me. Edward emerged from the bathroom, steam billowing out from behind him. A towel rested on his shoulders and his hair was wet, strands sticking to his cheeks and forehead. He was in shorts and a muscle shirt.

Automail.

The metal had a slick sheen, water droplets running down his metal leg and arm. I noticed how he shifted his weight to his left foot, yet he slouched slightly to right, as if his automail arm was too heavy. He was off center, two weights pulling him in different directions.

When he saw me staring, I saw his cheeks flush in…embarrassment? He cleared his throat and immediately changed his posture. He straightened up, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. I looked away shamefully.

"So, we have an early day tomorrow," Ed announced. "Get some sleep. If you need anything, Al and I will be out here."

My head shot up once I heard. I didn't really understand what he meant until I noticed this room only had one bedroom.

One bed.

He began walking toward the couch across from where Alphonse and I were sitting. He reached out for the quilt draped across the top and I immediately ran around the coffee table and snatched the quilt from his hands before he could get it.

"No, no!" I said, holding the quilt close to my body. "You and Alphonse should take the room."

That also caught Alphonse's attention. He looked up from his book as Edward stared at me as if I had grown another head.

He looked at me incredulously. "Don't be ridiculous. Take the bed."

"No!" I huffed. "You two have done enough for me as is. The least I can do is give you two the room."

"You've gotta be kidding me."

I shook my head vehemently. "No."

Ed looked exasperated and turned to Alphonse for support. He put his hands up in surrender and Ed turned back to me. "Are you serious?" He asked. "You do realize you're the first girl to ever refuse a bed."

"Well, I guess that makes me special, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. Special as in mental. Take the damn bed."

"I resent that! No!"

"You are so weird, you know that?"

"I've been told."

"Take the bed."

" _You_ take the bed."

"I will drag you to that room if I have to."

"Touch me, and I scream."

"….You wouldn't dare."

I raised a brow. "Oh really?" I took in a deep gulp of air and I only managed to let out a squeak before Edward smacked his hand over my mouth to silence me.

"Alright, alright!" Ed stammered, face red in embarrassment. I heard Al giggle and he shot a golden glare in his direction then trained the same glare back at me, pointing an accusatory finger. "I'll take the stupid bed. And for the record, kid, you're thoroughly difficult."

He removed his hand and I beamed, showing off a smug grin. "I'm aware." I twiddled my fingers at him as I fanned the quilt over the couch. "Goodnight!"

His eyes narrowed at me as he reluctantly slunk back to the door beside the bathroom. He gave a tired wave, a yawn escaping his mouth as he closed the door behind him.

I sighed in relief, going back to my suitcase to resume folding my clothes. I felt Alphonse's eyes on me as I neatly packed my clothes into the leather bound case. It was quiet and I felt awkward under the scrutiny. I refused to look at him though, determined to ignore the other Elric. Until he couldn't stifle his laugh and snickered.

"What?" I asked, face getting hotter by the second. I tried hiding behind my hair, still refusing to look in his direction.

"Nothing, nothing," he said nonchalantly, turning a page.

"Clearly it's something!"

I heard his armor creak as he shook his head. He snickered again.

"OHMYGOD, just tell me!" I exclaimed, exasperated. I turned to him, all clothes forgotten as he peered at me from over his book. It looked tiny in his massive hands.

"I have to warn you; my brother is very slow when it comes to girls," he said.

What?

It took a moment.

I felt this inhuman noise come from the pit of my stomach and out of my throat as I threw a shirt at him. I heard him bust up laughing. Alphonse thought I was _flirting._ With _Edward._ I wanted death.

"No, no—never, don't," I sputtered, refusing to look him in the eye.

"You wouldn't be the first to crush on Brother. He _did_ save you," he continued.

"Ohmygod, please, stop, you're making me want to literally explode," I forced through the embarrassment, waving my hand in front of me. "Let's get something straight: I was _not_ hitting on your brother." I reached for the shirt I threw at him and he handed it to me. I snatched it away.

"It's okay—"

"NOPE," I cut him off. I tried to continue folding my belongings. "Trust me, if I was flirting, you would definitely know."

"Is that so?" He drawled.

"Yes!" I snapped quickly. I put on the calmest voice I could manage. "I am only thankful and in debt to you and your brother. I just want to give my thanks in any way I can, including small stuff like giving you two the room. You've done enough for me as is."

He only shrugged. I huffed as I threw the last shirt in the suitcase. I slammed it closed in indignation. I stood and went to the couch across from us, laying down and pulling the quilt over my head.

"Goodnight," I murmured, turning away from him.

"Goodnight," he practically sang as he stood up. I heard his armor clang into the room, and I didn't turn over till I heard the door shut.

The _nerve_ of that guy!

* * *

XoXo…. Noah's POV …XoXo

* * *

I was put in their guest room, bare but obviously very new. I saw a few boxes stacked against the back wall, only a bed and a small dresser decorating the empty room. They had just moved from East City to Central, Maes told me. Blankets were folded neatly on top of the bed and a box of his old clothes was next to it.

I rummaged through, looking for some pajamas. Worst case scenario I would just sleep in my boxers. I found an old t-shirt and put it on. It was a bit long, but not overwhelmingly baggy. I also found some old flannel pajama bottoms and slipped those on as well. It hung loosely on my hips, the legs also a bit long. I tightened the string and lifted it so it wouldn't drag on the floor.

I tossed the box of clothes on the ground and flopped down on the bed. It was soft and I felt myself sink into it, bouncing only once, the springs squeaking in protest.

What now?

I was stuck here and Ivy was MIA. I stared at the clock on the wall, seeing the second hand tick around the face as a minute droned on. 10:35PM. Last I remembered, it was around noon when I walked back to the Starbucks. I don't even remember why I went back. I just felt so restless and wanted a hot chocolate. Whenever it rained, I craved it.

I felt my brows furrow together. Rain. It was June; when did it ever rain in June? I had pushed it off to climate change and welcomed the rain due to the California drought, but maybe it was something different?

When I closed my eyes, I saw the blinding white of that place. The gigantic Gate that loomed in front of me and behind me. The weird symbols etched into the material that looked like iron, wood, and nothing I knew all in one. I felt my heart begin to race as I quickly opened my eyes to get rid of that vision.

Even after the image faded from my mind, the voice that was mine, but not, kept echoing in my mind:

" _This is going to be so interesting."_

* * *

 **I decided to update again. I hadn't realized my chapters as of late were relatively short.**

 **I'm also going to update more frequently. Not like a schedule thing, but just as a small surprise. I'm too eager to get the chapters out lol. But no worries, Thursday as the official update day remains.**

 **Until Next Chap!**


	5. Scars and Pancakes

**Chapter 4: Scars and Pancakes**

 **Aka: You're Not Nobody**

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

Steam rolled off of my body as I stepped out of the tub and reached for a towel. I quickly dried my body and wrapped one towel around myself and the other around my hair. The steam had fogged up the mirror so I swiped a hand across it to see myself. My cheeks were flushed pink from the hot shower and a few tendrils of hair stuck to my cheeks and forehead. I stared at the bandages I gingerly avoided getting wet rolled around my chest, shoulder, and upper arm.

I carefully unwrapped the bandages from my bicep, wincing every time the fabric would stick to the wound. Dried blood stained the white gauze and I felt my knees go weak as I surveyed the black stitches pulling my skin together. It looked gruesome; the jagged line of flesh was raised and bubbled around the edges. The skin was red and irritated. The wound began right above my armpit and ran diagonally around my bicep and stopped halfway to my elbow. It looked something horrible.

Seeing it confused me. I have never injured myself like this. My only trips to the hospital were due to fractured or sprained ankles, shots and checkups. The only visibility in my injuries were casts and braces. I had never tore a gash in my skin so badly that I needed to be sewn back up.

I dampened a washcloth under the faucet and tried to delicately clean the edges. It stung horribly each time I brushed against it. I clenched my jaw and winced as I poured water over it, the searing pain exploding around the cut. I eagerly dabbed it dry.

It looked so ugly.

I felt silly for caring about something like that. Scars were not something I particularly cared about; I had my fair share of them. Scars decorated my body, most notably my neck, because of eczema when I was younger. I've since stopped noticing them entirely and it rarely went noticed by others.

But this gash was large and obvious. I could never wear a tank top again and it still ran long enough to not be covered entirely by a short sleeve. Tears sprang to my eyes thinking about the things I couldn't wear and the staring it would receive. _A scar given by Scar._ The irony was almost funny enough to make me smile.

After putting on my underclothes, I grabbed the gauze and attempted to wrap my arm again, but it was at an awkward angle. I kept dropping the roll of bandages and yelped in pain each time I tried raising or moving my right arm in a certain way.

The door opened suddenly. "Hey, kid, hurry up! We gotta—" Edward stopped as quickly as he had started, his face going red upon seeing me.

My face immediately erupted in heat as I realized I was just in my bra and panties. I let out an unattractive shriek as I ran to slam the door in his face. I heard him shout apologies in a nervous babble as I leaned against the shut door, panting from my momentary panic.

"Knock next time, maybe?!" I yelled through the door, my voice reaching a few notes higher than normal.

"I-I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE—!" He replied. I could hear the nervousness in his voice and laughter from behind the door. I heard him whisper-yell a threat to Alphonse and the laughter quieted to a snicker. "I, um, just wanted to say that we have to get going to the train station soon."

"And you couldn't have just shouted that through the door?" I snapped, moving to my clothes.

There was an awkward pause as I shoved my legs through jeans and I heard, "Come out when you're dressed and I'll help you bandage yourself up."

I was caught off guard with the sudden offer of help. Did I look _that_ awkward trying to re-wrap it?

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I opened my eyes to see the white ceiling. Every time I thought I'd finally fall asleep, I would get flashes of the Gate and the Gatekeeper's grin. I would stay in this nightmare, until the sound of Ivy's screams jolted me awake.

I sat up in the bed, rolling my shoulders. For a second, I thought I was back home, back in my bed. But the moment the sunlight hit my face from the window, I realized I was still in the Hughes's guest bedroom. I blinked and my vision became clear. 6:02AM.

My mouth felt dry and I sat up. Might as well get some water.

I opened the door and walked down the hall. I tried to be quiet, just in case I woke anybody up. It was way too early.

As I made my way to the kitchen, a wonderful smell filled my senses. It smelt like coffee and food and everything great. I heard sizzling on the stove and the sound of someone humming sweetly. I poked my head around the corner of the doorway and I saw Gracia cooking. She was still wearing her pajamas: cloud printed flannel. She was wearing fuzzy pink slippers.

I watched her for a little bit, hearing her hum and flip pancakes over the pan. If I focused enough, I could almost pretend that she was my mom. I could imagine her hair: longer, wavier, and unruly. I could see her dangling hoop earrings and her chipping nail polish as she sang along to her iPod that was blasting 80s pop. But once I blinked my eyes, the illusion faded and it was just Gracia again.

"Good morning," I said and she jumped a bit, turning to me quickly. She hadn't put on makeup yet and her hair was still disheveled from sleep.

She gave me her bell-like laughter as she rested a hand over her heart. "Noah! You startled me."

"Sorry," I said, smiling. Her laughter was contagious. No wonder Hughes was so enamored with her.

She shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just not used to anyone being awake at this hour. Maes and Elycia sleep like babies. Did you sleep okay?" She asked, turning back to the food. She turned over the bacon and then poured more pancake batter into the other pan. The pans sizzled in response.

"Yeah, I slept great," I lied, not wanting to upset her. "Um..."

She looked at me expectantly.

"Uh, well, I just wanted to say, um," I stammered, suddenly feeling very shy.

She smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Noah."

I smiled awkwardly back, glad she knew what I was trying to say. "Is there, uh," I started again, making her look back at me. "Anything I can do to help...?"

Her smile broadened, stepping aside to give me half the stove. "Can you make pancakes?"

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

When I came out of the bathroom, I was dressed and my hair was damp, a few strands sticking to my face and shoulders. I saw Edward on the couch, arms crossed, and tapping an impatient foot on the floor. When he saw me, his gaze quickly traveled down to my arm, staring at the ugly wound. I reflexively looked away, moving my hair to cover it from sight.

I looked around and noticed a missing seven foot tall suit of armor. "Where's Alphonse?"

"He's checking out downstairs," he replied, standing. "I hope you're all packed and ready to go."

I nodded and he looked down at the bandages in my hand. He stood behind the dining chair and made a pointed look that was meant for me to sit down there. I did as gestured, handing him the roll of gauze. I reluctantly pulled my hair away from it, revealing it to him.

He cleared his throat, and muttered something under his breath.

"What?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.

His cheeks were tinted pink as he pointed at my tank top. "You're gonna have to, uh…." He looked so uncomfortable that it reminded me that he was just a teenage boy. A teenage boy that was the genius-prodigy Full Metal Alchemist, but a teenage boy nonetheless.

I understood what he meant and pulled the straps of the tank top and my bra down, shimmying the fabric down a bit until it was like a tube top. I felt awkward at the amount of skin I was showing. I wasn't a very modest person, but to have to be so revealing while a stranger looked and touched made me want to disappear.

I raised my arms so he could wrap the bandage around my chest a few times until he could secure it in place. He looped it under my armpit and around my bicep with an obvious familiarity. I wonder how often he had to do this himself, with what kind of trouble he typically ran into. He cut it with the scissors I handed him and tied it tautly in place.

"Done," he announced as I hurriedly slipped my top back in place. "Is it too tight?"

I rolled my shoulder and moved my arm to test the mobility. The movement made me grimace as the bruise-feeling ache complained. I shook my head. "Nope. It feels great, thank you," I told him, shrugging on my jacket.

"I figured you had never needed to learn how to patch yourself up," he said nonchalantly as he moved toward the door. He picked up his suitcase that leaned against the doorframe. "Come on, we don't have all day."

* * *

The sun barely peaked up from the horizon and I suppressed a yawn. The morning air was crisp and hazy; fog blanketed over the train tracks. Edward and Alphonse had gone to purchase the tickets at the booth as I waited with the luggage. I had never been on a train before, which was odd considering I lived by them my entire life. I recall waking up to the annoying train whistles at dawn and hating life.

Hearing the soft 'chug' of the train in the distance pulled at my heart. As much as I hated it growing up, I would give anything to be able to wake up to that noise again. To be able to wake up at home again.

I took out the pocket watch and looked at it. I ran my fingertips over the design and clicked it open. The mock engraving of 3. Oct. 11 stared back at me. I wonder if that part was true for the Elrics? I furrowed my brows as I noticed the hands of the clock stopped. It couldn't be dead; I had just changed the battery.

"Kid!"

I felt a surge of panic in my chest when I heard Edward call. I shoved the pocket watch in my pocket as quick as possible and looked up. I forced a smile on my face as I saw the two brothers walking back toward me. The pair of them was so odd: a short teenager walking alongside a massive suit of armor. I don't think I'll ever get used to it.

Alphonse handed me my ticket.

"Thank you."

"The train should be here soon," Al told me. Ed plopped down next to me, stretching his limbs and resting his arms behind his head. He leaned against the wall behind him and slouched on the bench. He yawned.

"Sometimes it's late," he commented, closing his eyes.

* * *

The train was running late.

I was surprised at how many people started appearing at the station. Middle aged men in suits, women and children, there were about a dozen of us waiting on the platform. The more people arrived, the livelier it became, muffled conversation and toddlers playing around us.

I shivered, feeling eyes on me. It seemed every time I looked up, there was someone staring at us. Not surprising, considering I was with the Elric brothers. A huge suit of armor and a kid wearing a bright red coat. They stuck out like sore thumbs. The weirdest part was that they didn't seem bothered by it at all. Ed was 'resting his eyes' and Alphonse was too engrossed in his book to care. They must be used to it by now.

I, however, felt so uncomfortable. I didn't have a book to read and I felt too paranoid to take a nap. I hated it when people stared at me. I much prefer to fade into the background than be the center of attention.

Thankfully, the train came barreling down the tracks. I eagerly stood up, grabbing a hold of my suitcase as I watched the smoke billow from the top and bask in the roar of it coming in. It slowed to a stop and whistled.

Edward lazily stood and grabbed his luggage while Alphonse began walking to the open doors. I followed closely behind, hiding behind the shadow of him.

We got on the train and claimed a seat near the back. The inside of the train was carpeted, with rows of booths down either side. The red carpet material of the seats were rough to the touch and the seat itself was flat and uncomfortable. It reminded me of Bart, but cleaner, and nicer smelling.

There were luggage hangers above the booth and Alphonse quickly hoisted his brother's up into it. I heaved my suitcase up, but it hurt to lift my right arm. I pushed through it, going on my tip toes to push the suitcase up above. Then I started jumping, trying to push it on. It barely slipped in, but not enough to stay. I huffed, blowing a lock of hair out of my face as I hopped again.

Alphonse took the suitcase from me and easily put it on the hanger. I mumbled out a 'thanks' and plopped down on the seat. It was hard and flat and it kinda hurt my butt. Edward wasted no time in sprawling out on the train seat, spreading out and practically laying down on it. Al sat down next to me, and I pressed myself against the wall to give him as much room as possible. He was massive and for once, I was thankful I was small.

Without warning, the train lurched into motion and I almost fell forward, but I caught myself with my feet. The train whistle sounded distorted from within the train.

"Okay, Ivy," Al said, and I craned my head up to look at him. "We'll be on this train for five hours, until we get to Mainz. Then we'll get off to do our first transfer."

"And get some lunch, because train food sucks," Ed piped up and I turned to him with surprise. I could have sworn he was already asleep.

Al nodded. "It'll be a while, so you can take a nap in the meantime."

Ed yawned as if on cue. "Which I'll be doing."

He settled like a cat, snuggling into the seat and putting his arms behind his head like a pillow. I felt my nose crinkle up in distaste. How the hell can he be so comfy? My butt was already getting sore. I tried to stretch out, my toes touching the base of the other bench. I glanced at Alphonse, his glowing red eyes scanning the pages of that book he's been reading since last night. He was so massive, I barely had space for my wide hips to fit on the seat. I didn't hold it against him; it's not like he chose to be so large.

I turned my eyes to the window, the scenery flashing by in a blur. The thick woods that surrounded Ashwell was disappearing and now open fields of daisies and wheat raced past. I felt a smile grow on my face.

I decided I loved trains.

* * *

XoXo…. Noah's POV …XoXo

* * *

I'm not the best cook, but I try. My pancakes were misshapen and a little bit burnt, and a few I'm pretty sure were a bit undercooked. I regret everything. Gracia kept telling me I was doing great, but in comparison to her perfect golden brown and fluffy ones, I knew she was lying to me. If she was irritated at my incompetence, she didn't show it. She only continued humming and setting the dining table.

I scrubbed at the pans and dirtied utensils as Gracia scooped the eggs, pancakes, and bacon into serving plates, placing them in the middle of the table. One pan had very stubborn burnt pieces stuck to it from my first pancake attempt.

"I'll go get the two sleepyheads; you go ahead and make your plate," she told me, ducking out of the room.

I set down the pan I was working on and filled it with hot water to soak it. I picked up my plate and started loading eggs and bacon and pancakes (the ones Gracia made) when a toddler came flying into the dining room, a yawning Hughes behind her. She climbed into the chair, literally bouncing in energy as Hughes took his seat. When he saw me, he smiled tiredly.

"You're up early," he commented when Gracia swooped by, filling his mug with freshly brewed coffee.

"Noah helped me with breakfast this morning," she said, smiling warmly at me.

"Did he?" He asked, his energy starting to return to him after he took a sip of caffeine. "Let's see if you're as good as my wife!"

"Wait—" I tried to stop him but he quickly stuck a fork into one of the burnt, egg shaped pancakes I made and took a bite. I felt myself cringe as he chewed.

He swallowed and a grin spread across his face. "Not bad!"

I raised my brows. "Really?"

I snagged one of the ones I made; this one was wobbly around the edges and somehow looked both burned and undercooked. I took a bite.

I screwed my face in distaste as I chewed, the burnt pieces crunchy and the other parts...chewy? It was not fluffy at all, but besides the texture, it tasted okay, I guess. Amidst the burnt, smoky flavor. I doused the rest of it in maple syrup.

I was just about to take a bite of my eggs when the girl sat beside me kept staring at me open mouthed and wide eyed. I looked across the table where Gracia and Hughes were contentedly eating, and making idle chatter.

I glanced back at the girl. "Um...hi."

"Who are _you?"_ she asked bluntly.

"Noah," I said, feeling awkward under her unwavering stare. "You're Elycia, right?"

"Yep!" She nodded, pigtails bouncing. "Why are you in my house?"

"Elycia!" Gracia admonished.

"Uh..." Jeez. Kids had zero filter.

"Noah is staying with us for a little while," Maes informed her in a no-nonsense tone. He didn't elaborate and took another sip of his coffee, forking some more pancakes in his mouth.

It seemed the conversation was over. Elycia only nodded and began digging in, humming as she chewed.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I decided I hate trains.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep the nausea from resurfacing. I was lightheaded and a headache pressed against my temples. I brought my knees to my chest, putting my head between them.

"Why didn't you tell us you get motion sickness?" Ed huffed, exasperated. We switched seats, to give me more space as he shared the one with Alphonse.

"I didn't want to bother you," I grumbled, just focusing on not getting even more sick.

He sighed dramatically and I felt a large, cold hand touch my arm. It was Alphonse. "Do you want me to get anything for you? Aspirin, water?"

I nodded, still unable to look up yet. "Both, please?" I sounded so pathetic, but to be honest, the only thing I really cared about was keeping whatever food I had in my stomach still in my stomach.

"Okay, I'll be right back," he said reassuringly. He stood and I heard his loud footsteps fade away.

I could feel Edward's eyes staring at me. It irritated me. "I'm not gonna puke, I just feel like I am," I snapped. We were silent for a little bit.

"Hey," he finally said.

"What."

"Look at me."

"Dude, I really don't think that opening my eyes is a good idea," I said as the train began shaking, rolling over something on the tracks. I gripped the sleeves of my jacket for some sort of grounding.

"Don't be difficult, just look at me," he said, and I could practically hear his eye roll.

I reluctantly opened my eyes and looked up at him, my brown eyes meeting his golden ones. It was still unnerving to see the pale honey of his irises. I felt my headache growing more painful. I raised an eyebrow at him in a 'what now' expression.

Next thing I knew he tossed something at me and I couldn't react in time. The thing hit me in the forehead and I yelped out a loud "OW" as it fell onto my lap. I rubbed in between my brows and glared daggers at him. He snickered, his grin wide and not at all sorry for hitting me in the face. I trained my glare down at the offending object and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

It was the state alchemist pocket watch.

"Closing your eyes is worse for motion sickness," he said. I could have sworn I saw an embarrassed flush in his cheeks as he looked out the window. He scratched the back of his head. "I used to get it really bad when I was younger before I got used to traveling. I found out that focusing on something that was still helped out. I used to stare at that for hours."

I gingerly picked it up. It was heavier than I thought, but it made sense. This was made of legitimate steel. I traced my fingers over the state insignia, marveling at the resemblance to my replica. I tried opening it, but it wouldn't budge.

He chuckled nervously. "Oh, yeah. The mechanism jammed a long time ago; I just hadn't gotten around to bringing it in to get fixed."

I didn't believe that for a second. He probably broke it himself or alchemically transmuted it so it wouldn't open for anyone other than him. Nevertheless, I laced my fingers in the chain and stared at it, my eyes tracing over the engraved insignia. I felt some of the nausea subside.

Alphonse came back, his footsteps alerting us both to his presence. He bent down, sitting down across from me. He handed me a cup of water and two tiny pills. Both items looked comically tiny in his hands.

I took it from him gratefully, mumbling a thank you. I quickly popped the aspirin in my mouth and took a gulp from the paper cup to help it go down. I continued to sip on the water as I kept my eyes trained on the watch in my hand, painfully aware of the replica that pressed against my thigh in my pocket.

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

After breakfast, Maes brought me back down to the station. We had to complete the Missing Persons Report on Ivy and I had to give more details of how she looked like, what she was wearing, and etc. It was hard to give answers to a few questions Hughes' subordinates asked me, considering the circumstances. I couldn't say where I last saw her, or who her family was. I was frustrating the officers and I could tell. I couldn't even provide a picture of her. I barely knew her. And it's not like I memorized her face from the _one_ conversation we had.

I was sat across this one officer who looked like he was two seconds away from strangling me when I saw Hughes poke his head out from his office.

"Noah," Maes called. He pointed into his office and disappeared back into the room, leaving the door ajar. I took the hint and went over, the officer who was questioning me looking relieved.

"You called?" I said, poking my head into the room.

He was sat back into his chair, back straight and hands folded in front of him. I immediately recognized the change in demeanor. He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. I shut the door behind me and quietly sat in the chair.

"Noah, can I be frank with you?" He asked.

"Uh, of course," I said.

"If you don't give us what we need, we can't help you find your girlfriend—"

"She's not my girlfriend," I quickly interrupted.

He raised a brow. "If she's not your girlfriend, then who is she?"

I didn't know how to answer that question.

"Just some girl," I said and cringed at how stupid I sounded.

He swallowed and adjusted his glasses. His voice was even and calm. "If she's 'just some girl', then why do you care about finding her?"

And there it was.

I didn't know her. I had one conversation with her and not even a long one. She was nobody to me.

I closed my eyes and suddenly I was back at that Starbucks.

"Because I do."

* * *

 **These next few chapters are very transitional and a tad short, so for that I think I may upload twice this week, just so the story moves a bit faster. Be on the look out! I may upload tomorrow.**

 **Unrelated, but can I say that I love writing Hughes? I adore him so much! I feel like the only ways I've seen Hughes written is either in memory of him, or him as his goofy self. I wanna see more fanfics with Parental!Hughes. He's the #1 Dad after all.**

 **OOOH, before I forget! I'm also cross-posting this on my ArchiveOfOurOwn account. If you prefer that site, go ahead and follow there, but I'm still getting used to it so the format there is going to be a bit weird until I get the hang of it. Advanced warning though, this FFN version will be the one that gets the most love and uploads on a03 may be a bit later than the ones here. My penname there is CoffeeAnonymous, if you're interested.**

 **Until Next Chap**


	6. Help you, Help Me

**Chapter 5: Help you, Help Me**

 **Aka: You're Not Insane**

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

Hughes reluctantly kept the investigation up after our talk. He was disappointed at my answers and how little information I gave him. I felt guilty the whole time I was relaying information to other members of the search team. Hughes had no obligation to help out like he was. He didn't arrest me even though he had every right to. He's helping me find Ivy, even though it looked grim. He was _housing_ me. He was going up and beyond for me and how do I repay him? By wasting his time.

I kicked at the cobblestone pavement. I was so angry at myself. Hughes was good people.

When I turned the corner, I forced myself to stop. I was .5 seconds away from colliding with someone head on.

"Sorry 'bout that," I muttered before I realized who it was. "Gracia?"

"Oh! Noah," she said, her surprise fading into a smile. "Maes said you had been gone for a while. He was getting a bit worried."

He was worried about me? How the hell did people like him exist; he was way too nice for his own good.

"I just dropped off his lunch for him; I have yours here," she said, holding up a box wrapped in a handkerchief.

I blinked as she handed it to me. "Thank you," I said. The last time someone made me a lunch box, I was nine. I felt sheepish. "I'm not very hungry right now, but I'll definitely dig in when I am."

"That's quite alright. It's still early; after all, you haven't worked up an appetite yet," she said. "But I know a way you can."

She was beaming. I didn't know what to do.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

" _...can't run away!"_

" _Watch me." The suitcase pointedly snapped closed._

 _The boy sighed dramatically, poking his head down the hallway. When he made sure the coast was clear, he shut the door quietly. He whirled back, his voice quiet but pleading. "You just gon' run away from your problems, huh? That's not gonna fix anything!"_

" _Like staying here is any better? I'm not going to sit around and do nothing!"_

The dream jolted to a stop at the sound of a train whistle.

I blinked my eyes, rubbing the sleep from them as I looked across from me. Edward's smirking face greeted me. "Morning, kid! Wipe your drool; we're at our first stop."

I furrowed my brows, reaching up to touch my cheek. When I felt something wet, I jolted upright, furiously wiping at my mouth and face. Ed snickered. How embarrassing.

Al handed me my suitcase. I smiled gratefully at him as I took it.

Al told me that we were in a town called Mainz. We weren't really going to leave the station because our next train was coming in an hour. It was still the morning, but at a more decent hour and the Mainz station was a lot busier than the one in Ashwell. People lined up and down the ticket booth and many stood waiting impatiently for the next train.

We managed to snag a bench before anyone else took it and hurriedly placed our luggage in the extra space beside us. The fresh air felt amazing. Smoke was heavy from the engines but it was better than the stale air inside the train car. Honestly, being able to stretch out my legs was the best feeling ever. Ed also was stretching.

"Al and I are going to go get food for the ride. Wanna come with?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Someone has to sit with our bags."

"Okay. We'll be back soon, Ivy," Al said. I watched Ed and Al walk away, Al's loud footsteps fading as they left.

Once they left, I felt myself frown.

I mainly didn't feel like going because of that dream. It was so vivid. I could still picture every feature of the boy's face. Tanned skin, shaggy brown hair that fell into his blue eyes. I could even remember a scar that was on the top of his upper lip. Usually all my dreams were hazy and vague.

" _You just gon' run away from your problems, huh?"_

It was like I caught half a conversation. Or I walked in mid-conversation between two people.

Weird.

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

"Which do you like better: husky cherry or a better boy?"

"A _what?"_ I asked, not meaning to sound as loud as I was.

She chuckled, turning from the produce vendor. In one hand was a bunch of tiny red orbs attached to a vine that looked like grapes. In the other held a regular tomato, fat and shiny and red. "These are cherry tomatoes; they're sweet and bite sized and great for snacking." She held up the fat, regular one. "This is a better boy tomato. Great for slicing, and probably the one you're most familiar with."

I blinked. "The 'better boy' then?" I said, unsure of myself. She nodded, taking a few and paying the man behind the display. She placed them in the bag I was holding.

Gracia took me to the farmer's market to help her with the groceries. It was busy, all sorts of people floundering around and shopping. Apparently it was bargain day and Gracia had been meaning to go before the sales ended.

I don't think I've ever gone to a farmers market before. All along the sides of the road were stands with every vegetable, fruit, and meat imaginable. Even some bakeries were selling bread or other sweet things as people milled about.

I shifted the paper bag in my hands so they felt more secure. Every now and then Gracia would ask me on some input on whether to buy this or that, though I'm not sure why because I knew nothing of the stuff she was buying. Elycia was at a friend's house for a play date at the moment, which explained the lack of child that usually clung to her hip.

"What do you think we should have for dinner tonight?" She mused and I wasn't sure if she was asking me or thinking aloud. She perused the streets, glancing at every stand, before moving on to the next.

We came across a bakery stand that had freshly made bread that were still hot from the oven. It smelt awesome.

"Free samples for the lovely lady and lad!" A man with a bushy gray beard announced to us, pushing forward a basket. Gracia turned to regard him. "Banana bread straight from the oven!" He continued.

She smiled at him politely. "That sounds lovely. We'll take two slices and a loaf of focaccia bread, please."

He looked ecstatic. "Right away, miss!"

He yelled at a girl who looked no older than thirteen to get our loaf for us while he put two slices of banana bread loaf into two napkins. He handed one to me and the other to Gracia. Soon, the girl handed me the focaccia bread wrapped in parchment paper. She gave me a toothy grin and I noticed she had a gap between her two front teeth. Both of them bid us a good day.

"Let's sit on that bench over there and enjoy our snack, shall we?" Gracia announced, pointing to a wooden bench on the other side of the street.

We weaved between shoppers and arrived at the bench. I rested the groceries next to me as Gracia sat down on the other side. She handed me my lunch. "While we're at it, you can enjoy your lunch."

I took it from her, nodding a thanks. I completely forgot about it.

We both took a bite of the banana bread at the same time. My taste buds lit to life as I chewed, tasting walnuts and sweetness exploded on my tongue. I quickly wolfed it down compared to Gracia's tiny bites.

We sat there in silence for a little bit as I opened my lunch. Inside was a sandwich, cut into two triangles with a tiny salad on the side. I took a slice and started munching. Ham, cheese, lettuce, and bacon with some delicious seasoning. Best sandwich I've had in a while, hands down.

"Thank you for helping me out today. It was nice to have company," she said. I waved it off.

"Nm prblem," I mumbled, mouth full of sandwich.

She smiled and it was silent again.

I had finished my first half of the sandwich and was moving on to the next when she spoke up again.

"To tell you the truth, the first time I saw you in my dining room, I was hopelessly confused," she chuckled lightheartedly. "Maes always surprises me, but bringing a teenage boy into our home was something I never expected, even for him."

I stopped eating.

"Maes tells me you're looking for someone, right?" She asked, turning to me. I looked away, the forgotten guilt returning.

"Yeah..." I said quietly.

"What was her name again?" She asked herself, a finger on her cheek. She snapped her fingers when it came to her. "Ivy Thompson, correct?"

I nodded.

"How did you two become separated?" She asked.

I stared at the bakery stand across the street. The old man was chatting excitedly to another customer. "It's...complicated."

She hummed. "Most things are," she said, empathy in her voice. "She must be very important to you if you're trying to find her."

Not really. She's important in the way that everyone is important. A life is a life. But I didn't know her. All that really mattered was that she might be here, and if she were here, I couldn't just ignore that.

"I guess," I finally answered.

She studied me for a second. I tried to eat again, but I just wasn't hungry anymore.

"You know," she started, staring at the ground. "Sometimes Elycia just goes silent. She went from being the most talkative little girl who shared everything to a quiet little thing." She folded her hands together in her lap. "I didn't know what was wrong. I thought maybe something was bothering her or she was sick, but she was fine. But, I realized she only was quiet when she didn't want to tell me something."

The implication didn't leave my notice. "Is that so," I said in monotone.

"Yes, she's just growing up so fast," She sighed, looking up into the blue sky. "She doesn't tell us things when she's _clearly_ upset about something. I swear, she takes after her father way too much. I just wish she knew that if she just tells us what's wrong, we could help. No matter how silly she thinks it is. It's our job to listen and understand her problems the best we can."

I was silent, slightly annoyed. What is up with the Hughes's and comparing me to their toddler? "What if her problem was something that didn't make sense?" I asked, playing into it. She looked pleased.

"Then we'd keep listening until it did."

"Yeah, but what if it seemed impossible?"

"Nothing is impossible."

"So you wouldn't think she was crazy?"

"Never."

I looked at her, trying to see any inkling of doubt on her face. Her green eyes were clear and honest and her smile was unwavering. I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

She took the paper bags from me and stood. "I think I'm done for today. Thank you for your help, Noah. Be back before dinner, yeah?"

Then she walked away.

I shook my head, smiling down at the boxed lunch. Even the way she talked to me was the same as my mom.

* * *

I took a deep breath.

 _Knock knock._

" _Come in_!"

I hesitantly opened the door. Hughes was hunched over his desk, pen scratching away at a file. I cleared my throat and he looked up. His hazel eyes widened and relief washed over his features.

"Where did you go?" He asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I went for a walk."

"Oh."

"And I helped Gracia with grocery shopping."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. The farmers market was having a bargain day."

"I'm glad she had a helping hand," he said, turning back to his work.

I took another deep breath. Now or never.

"I, uh..." He looked up. I decided to use his words. "I wanted to 'help you help me'."

He looked at me carefully, eyeing my movements. After a moment, he put his pen down. "Okay."

I sat down in front of his desk. _I'm gonna sound insane,_ I thought. Hughes sat quietly, waiting.

"So, uh..."

"Take your time."

I swallowed. "I'm not a good storyteller, so I'm just gonna be blunt. I was transported here."

"Transported?"

Panic rose up in my throat. I stood up quickly. "Never mind, it's insane—"

"No, no," Hughes cut me off. "Sit. It's fine." I sat back down reluctantly. "What were you saying? You were transported?"

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah. Sort of. It's weird."

"Go on."

" _IT'S HERE!" The strange man shouted, hands clapped over his ears. The moment he fell to his knees, the earth rumbled below our feet._

 _The lights flickered on and off and tables began to shake. Coffee beans spilled over and food flew off the shelves._

" _EARTHQUAKE!" Someone shouted in warning._

"There was an earthquake," I started quietly.

 _Both Ivy and I fell to the ground, huddling under the table for protection. I heard the windows shatter, shards flying over our bodies and on the ground. Wind kicked up around us and the table that we took shelter under got carried away by the force. Rain pelted us, soaking my jacket through to my shirt_

"This old guy kept screaming at me. He had been harassing Ivy all day. I didn't know her, but I couldn't stand by and do nothing. He kept saying the same thing over and over again."

"What did he say?" Hughes asked.

"The truth was coming. And it wanted to take me."

 _I felt something grip my arm and I looked up to see Ivy's panicked face._

 _That was when I saw it._

 _A circle glowed on the ground beneath us. I glanced down to see a giant gray eye staring up into my own. The man from before grasped onto my ankle and I saw his wild eyes staring at me. He looked frantic._

"Then this...circle appeared. A giant eye was in the middle of it. It...pulled me in.

" _IT WANTS YOU!" The man screamed at me._

 _Thunder boomed in the distance. I felt myself sinking into the floor, into the pupil of the huge eye. It felt like molasses, and one of my hands became submerged. I tried taking it back out, but it wouldn't budge. Purple lightning flared around the circle below me._

 _With my free hand I tried removing Ivy's grip on my arm. "IT'S GONNA TAKE YOU TOO!"_

 _She only looked at me in confusion before it swallowed the both of us._

"I tried to get her hand off me before it pulled her in too. There was purple lighting, and I woke up in this land of white."

The headaches started again. It was a dull feeling in the back of my skull until it flared up, throbbing in front of my eyes. I doubled over in pain, clutching my head. I squeezed my eyes shut. Flashes of white appeared in my head. _Two Gates. My twisted grin._

I groaned out in pain as the images snapshotted in my brain like stop-motion art. _I saw faces, more circles with weird symbols in them. It was like all the information in the world tried cramming itself into my head. I couldn't keep up, my brain was going to explode—_

"Noah!"

I snapped out of it.

I blinked into the light. I was in Hughes' office again. He was rubbing circles on my back and was knelt beside me.

"You back with me?" He asked softly.

I nodded slowly. My voice was rough. "It pulled her in. That's why I have to find her."

* * *

 **Yikes, this is the shortest chapter yet. But yknow, we all need our transitions and such.**

 **Plus I decided last minute to take out a huge chunk of this chapter hehe. Even when I'm finished, I'm not done. I've been hacking and adding and editing and a whole bunch of other stuff.**

 **Welp, until next chap**

 **(Also thank you so much for your guys' support? You have no idea how much each review and read means to me. I'm just so happy you all are enjoying it! Thank you so so much!)**


	7. Cookies and Landslides

**Chapter 6: Cookies and Landslides**

 **Aka: You're Not a Bear!**

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I munched happily on a chocolate muffin that Al got from a bakery. It was sweet and delicious and tasted twice as good now that we were on the train and away from Mainz. Edward was, of course, passed out on the seat across from Alphonse and I. I could barely see his face peek out from the table we pulled out between our seats for the food.

I bit into a chocolate chip and smiled as I chewed. I looked at Ed's sleeping face, calm and peaceful. His mouth was open slightly and through the train rumbling I could hear him snoring.

Looking at him like this made me forget about the series. Ed was just a teenage boy asleep on a train. He wasn't the Fullmetal Alchemist. He wasn't an orphan. He was just a boy.

I frowned. He was _supposed_ to just be a boy. He wasn't meant to be a dog of the military. He was supposed to be focused on being a kid, going to school, maybe getting a girlfriend—or boyfriend, who knows— and puberty! It wasn't fair.

The thought of Ed going to school like a normal kid crossed my mind. With the acne and weird proportions until he grew into them. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips thinking about his voice changing. He joined the military when he was twelve; did that mean he was yelling at Roy Mustang with his voice cracking all over the place? I involuntarily snorted at the thought of him at twelve years old telling adults to 'fuck off' because it was edgy and he was 'mature, dammit!'

Lost in my thoughts, I had seemed to eat the entirety of the muffin. I reached over to the bag of stuff to grab a can of fruit juice and saw Alphonse, still reading the same book he had been for the past two days. I grabbed the juice can and opened it, the air pressure inside making little spots of juice sprinkle the top of the tin. I licked it away as I stared at the book. It didn't appear to have a title.

"Hey, Alphonse?" I asked.

He looked down at me, red orbs glowing. "Yes?"

"What's that book about?"

"Oh," he said, seeming surprised. He fumbled with it before procuring a book mark, and closing it. It looked like an old train ticket. "It's a research book by an old alchemist."

I took a sip of the juice, pleasantly surprised at the sweet taste. It reminded me of mangoes. "Research on what? Alchemy thingies?"

He laughed. "He talks about alchemy 'thingies,' yes," he said, "but it's mainly about the natural world and how alchemy is influenced by it."

"Hm," I hummed. Science wasn't ever my strong suit. As cool as alchemy sounded, it seemed like a pain to understand. "Who's it by?"

"An old alchemist named Nicholas Flamel."

I choked on my drink.

"Are you okay?" He asked, an armored hand resting on my shoulder.

I nodded through the coughs, waving off his concern. "Went down," cough, "The wrong pipe." After my coughing fit was done, I sat up straighter. "Isn't Nicholas Flamel that super famous alchemist?"

"Infamous, more like," Al concurred. "He was surrounded by scrutiny and doubt his whole life about his studies. Still, he is revered by the entire alchemist community. A lot of his theories and work helped shape what we understand of alchemy today."

Nicholas Flamel was a guy on my side of the Gate. He was known for creating gold from lead and making the Philosopher's Stone. Maybe that's why Al was reading up on him? But...why did he exist here, in Amestris?

"Wasn't he the guy that supposedly figured the secret to immortality?" I asked, trying to remember what I could on the guy.

"Rumored to have, yes," he said. He continued to look at me and I had this feeling he was suspicious. "Did you study alchemy, Ivy?"

Hah! I wish. I shook my head. "The name just sort of...sparked a memory," I said, hoping the half-truth would shake my feeling of guilt from lying. "What else did that book talk about?"

"A lot of things, really," he said, looking back at the book on the table. "This one is more about philosophies and theories. Nothing really that has tangible proof."

"What kind of theories?" I asked, hoping my tone didn't tip off any more suspicion.

"I'm reading about a multiverse theory now. While interesting, there isn't anything that could prove it," he said. "He talked about multiple universes that exist, similar, but separate from our own." He laughed then. "But it doesn't make any sense."

I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean, it doesn't make sense?"

"Well," he started, trying to gather his thoughts. "It's something that can't be proven. We happen to exist because of a supernova that created the universe. Life grew and evolved into other organisms and billions of years later, life as we know now has evolved," he summarized. "We exist in this blip of fortunate accidents. There's no scientific proof that determines there's other life out there beside our own, let alone life that exists parallel to our own."

"Yes, but there's no proof out there that says there isn't," I said. "I mean, who's to say that different universes aren't created every second?"

"You believe in the multiverse theory?" He asked, his voice turning cynical. It surprised me. I'm used to Edward being the cynical, sarcastic one. Alphonse was the cheerful, polite one. It was easy to forget that Alphonse was also this scientific prodigy that only believed what he could prove. They both had brains that worked mathematically.

Frigidly.

"Well, it makes a lot of sense," I said. I suddenly felt very dumb, realizing I'm speaking to an actual genius. My cheeks burned as I messed with the metal tin of my drink. "Millions of choices are made every day. When we choose one path, what happens to the reality that would have happened if we chose the different path?"

"But you didn't choose the different path," he reminded me.

"Yes, but what if you had?" I countered. "I think with every choice, there's a different reality where you made the opposite one you did now. Take me for example."

I grabbed the food basket, fishing for things to use in my metaphor. I came out with a chocolate chip cookie and a red velvet cupcake. I set them up in front of me.

I broke the chocolate chip cookie in half, tossing the unused half to the side. "This is me," I said, placing the cookie half beside the food basket. "This is me where you found me, all hurt and stuff. This is you and Ed," I placed the red velvet cupcake and my fruit juice can next to each other. "In this reality, you two found me and helped me out." I moved the tin can and cupcake to my cookie, grouping them together. "Because you two found me, I'm all patched up, and we're on this train to East City together."

"Okay," Al said slowly.

"But!" I exclaimed dramatically, "What if you two _hadn't_ found me?" I took the tin can and red velvet away from the cookie, hiding them behind the basket. "You two would continue walking on, doing whatever you guys were doing, and I'd be left. I may have gotten found by someone else, or not at all. I might have gotten even more hurt." I lifted the broken cookie in my hand. "Or worse." I shoved the cookie in my mouth.

He chuckled as I ate fake me. "So, what you're saying is, because we had found you, that led to us traveling together, but if we hadn't, a different outcome would have happened?"

"Exactly!" I said, my words muffled by cookie. I swallowed. "One choice led to a series of events, but if you had chosen differently, a different series of events would have unfolded. Who's to say that there isn't some reality out there that exists where you guys didn't find me and now continues on, with the differences?"

He shook his head. "It makes sense, but it doesn't change the fact that we _did_ find you," He took the discarded cookie half and grouped it with his tin can and Ed's red velvet cupcake. "And we're here, on the train."

I groaned. "You and your _facts,"_ I said, snatching the other half of cookie-me up.

"See? You can't dispute it. It doesn't have enough proof to keep the theory standing. It's all philosophical," he said, placing the Ed cupcake back in the basket.

"Open your _mind,_ Alphonse!" I said, nibbling on the edge of the cookie. "It's not about what happened, it's what _could_ have happened, if other choices were made. Millions of different you's and me's exist in different realities where we live different lives because of different choices. The Butterfly Effect, yknow?"

"I suppose," he said, his voice sarcastic. "I won't believe it until I see it, and you can't see something like that."

For some reason, his answer frustrated me. I wanted him to believe in this theory.

 _In me._

"What if you _could_ see it?"

I lived in a different reality. I lived in the parallel world that mirrored his. Or, that's what I think it is, anyway. Nicholas Flamel existing here proves it. In my reality, he _didn't_ become an alchemist. It didn't work out and life moved forward. In this reality, it did. He became an alchemist and attributed to theories of alchemy that are still used today.

"See what?" Al asked, turning to look at me.

It had to be a sign. I stared at Edward's pocket watch, resting on the table in front of me. I felt the replica one in my pocket. I could just...take it out. I could show him, right now. I could prove it to him and—

 _And then what?_

I shook my head. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Yeah, sure, I could show him, and then what would happen, huh, Ivy? He'd take one look at my replica and arrest me. Or put me in a looney bin, I don't know. A scientific guy like Alphonse Elric would _never_ in a million years believe in the idea of a parallel world.

The train whistle went haywire and made everyone jump. It startled Ed awake.

"What the—?" He groaned out, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

He couldn't finish his sentence before the train came to a screeching halt. We were thrown forward and then back by the momentum. Ed, Al, and I were caged in by the table between us. I bumped my head on the seat behind me and then was forced into the table, chest first. I cursed in pain, bringing my arms up to soothe the agitated area.

"Are you two okay?" Al asked in a panic, looking around at the train goers whose conversations came out like a mumbled, panicked mess.

"I'm good," Ed groaned out. He got the worst of it, since he was laying down. He pushed himself up from the floor he slipped down to, rubbing his head.

I sent a thumbs up, rubbing my sore breasts. Nothing hurts worse than an injury to the boob.

"What the hell was that?!" Ed exclaimed, now standing. He stood up and slid the train window open, poking his head out.

"What do you see?" Al asked the same time Ed went, "Oh crap."

"A landslide," Ed informed us, slumping back into his seat, a scowl on his face. "As if this trip wasn't long enough, now we gotta wait till they clear the damn landslide."

Curious, I stood on my seat, poking my head out the open window. We were on a cliff side. Rocks, dirt, and debris had fallen down in a waterfall of destruction in front of the train. From what I could see, the damage was halfway as tall as the train and lied in a heap on the tracks. Workers and some strong train goers were already out and helping to shovel the rocks out of the way.

I fell back into my seat, pushing the table down and out of the way. I neatly placed the basket of food that toppled over where I was sitting and made my way down the train aisle.

"Where are you going?" I heard Ed call.

"To help out, what else does it look like?" I called back, pushing my sleeves up.

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

After my explanation, it looked like Hughes wanted to ask me something, but was holding back. He gave me aspirin and some water to help with the headache that came whenever I tried remembering what happened. It was nothing but a dull ache as he stared at me. He leaned over his desk, hands folded, obscuring his mouth.

I played with the empty paper cup in my hand.

"So," I started, feeling awkward under his staring. "What do you think?"

"I think..." he said slowly, as if testing out the words. "I think I know someone who may be able to help."

I raised an eyebrow. That was not the answer I was expecting. "You do?"

"I think so." He leaned back in his chair, scratching at his scruff. He sighed eventually. "I admit, out of all the reasons I thought you were hiding something, _this_ wasn't one of them."

"What were your theories?" I asked incredulously.

"I thought you were in a gang," he replied. "And that Ivy was either an accomplice or someone your gang kidnapped and were searching for after you ran off with her."

I couldn't help the smirk that spread on my face as I stifled a laugh. "Really?"

"When you came back, I was thinking of ways to break it to my wife that we were housing a gang member," he said, a wry smile on his face. "Honestly, what you told me was a bit of a relief. I was dreading that conversation with Gracia."

I barked out a laugh and shook my head. "You seriously don't think I'm crazy?"

He smiled empathetically at me. "Do you think I'm crazy for believing you?"

I thought for a moment. "Yeah," I admitted. He snorted.

"You're a good kid, Noah," he said, honesty ringing out in his voice. "I don't know how, but I just knew that you needed some help. And honestly, it was probably because you reminded me of somebody."

I felt myself get embarrassed by his words. It's been a long time since anybody saw good in me.

"Who did I remind you of?" I asked.

He smiled, grabbing his phone. "My friend. The one who might be able to help you."

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

Looking at the landslide up close and personal was...intimidating to say the least. It would take _hours_ before we made any headway to get the track cleared. Part of me wanted to go back in the train and wait it out while the rest of the people out here worked. But the part of me that wasn't a jerk took a deep breath and marched toward the madness.

Men who were shoveling out dirt and carrying rocks out looked at me strangely as I squatted down to pick up a hefty broken tree branch. I grunted, not expecting this dang _branch_ to weigh so much, and stood, leaning most of the weight on one of my hips.

"Where are you throwing the stuff?" I asked this one burly guy, and I cringed at how stupid my question sounded. _The 'stuff'? Seriously?_

He shoved his shovel into the dirt. He jabbed a thumb behind him, toward the cliff side, on the side of the tracks. "O'er there," he grumbled, continuing at his work.

I nodded and made my way over to the side. They had already made a sizable pile of rocks and dirt. Some of it had fallen down the trench where the forest laid under the cliff, and I saw a few just throwing the debris off the side. I followed suit and tossed the branch with all my might.

It didn't make it that far and was kind of pathetic so I hoped no one saw it.

"Stand back, everyone!"

I turned when I heard Ed's voice and saw him and Alphonse standing before the pile of rubble. They clapped and the entire area lit up in blue lightning.

At first it didn't register. I just thought, DANGER, DANGER, LIGHTNING! But then I realized: alchemy. I nearly smacked myself in the head. Duh, Ivy! Alchemy was a thing here! Ed and Al could just clap and move all the stuff out of the way.

Seeing it on a screen was 100% different than seeing it in real life.

Blue light ate up the sides of the dirt and rocks and enveloped the entirety of it. Light blue lightning shot up into the sky, dying down into tiny sparks that showered the ground around us. It was almost too bright to look at, but I didn't want to look away. It was honestly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

I took a step back to see what the dirt and debris were shaping into when the earth crumbled below my feet.

It felt like I was flying. Just for a second though.

Then the terror set in and I screamed.

I was only airborne for about a few seconds before I hit ground. The air was forced out of my body and I grunted with the force. I coughed, choking on air I was trying to get back into my lungs.

"Ugh." I squinted up at the sky, my vision blurring from the sun. I heard shouts coming from above me and I tried focusing on the voices. When I realized they were calling out to me, I blinked.

"IVY! ARE YOU OKAY?!"

I saw Alphonse's metal head peek out from the ledge. Ed's blonde head peeked out next to him.

Some of the earth crumbled, sending pebbles down. _I fell,_ I realized, looking at the crumbled earth around me.

"HEY! KID! YOU DIDN'T GET ANY MORE BRAIN DAMAGE, DID YOU?" Ed called out.

I glared up at him and I hoped he could see it. "I'M FINE!" I called back, sitting up. Instantly my head throbbed in protest. I had fallen to a ledge, about twenty feet below where I was standing. I sat up, feeling as heavy as lead. I checked my body, feeling every appendage to see any injuries. To my surprise, I was relatively unhurt, besides bruises and scrapes.

A new head appeared over the ledge. "Did you break anything, miss?!" The burly man from earlier called. I was surprised to see him concerned.

I shook my head. "No! I'm okay!" I called back.

I saw him nod. "We're going to get some rope and get you out of there, okay? Just sit tight!" His head disappeared. I heard him bark a few orders at someone and then both Ed and Al's heads disappeared as well.

I relaxed, falling back on the soft, loamy soil. I guess this is why I didn't break anything, thank god. I don't think I can handle another hospital visit.

I heard something growl and I snapped my head to the noise. I surveyed the tiny ledge I had landed on, new fear gripping my heart. I saw nothing but trees and rubble from the fall. Oh god, I'm in a forest. Wild animals live here. What if I disturbed some fox's den or something?

My eyes locked onto the gaping hole in the cliff side in front of me.

Oh god, what if I disturbed a bear's den? Bears live in caves, right?

Another growl sounded from within the dark cavern as if to confirm my suspicions.

"UM, DID YOU GUYS FIND THAT ROPE YET?!" I yelled up, inching my way back.

No one responded.

Shaking now, I scuttled backward, trying to increase the distance from the cave. I had to stop when my hand reached the end of land, slipping off the side. I looked back to see the true fall. Hundreds of feet deeper. I ran out of ground. This is _definitely_ not where I want to be.

Another growl. Louder now. Closer. Definitely closer.

"ED?! AL?!" I called desperately. I looked for a weapon and saw the heavy tree branch from earlier and grabbed it quickly.

Before I could blink, something whipped out from the darkness and grabbed my ankle, pulling me into the dark. My scream echoed off the walls.

I kicked wildly, trying to get whatever had me to release me. I could barely see through the darkness as it dragged me to whatever hell it was bringing me to. I managed a few solid kicks, every hit making its growling intensify.

I saw light in the distance and recognized it to be lanterns, illuminating the dark. I was pondering why lanterns would be hung in a cave when the light of the fire showed me what took me. I shrieked.

It was a beast the size of a Great Dane. It looked like a horrifying cross between a mountain lion and a crocodile with three spikes on the end of its bushy tail, its fur mangled and matted. The fabric of my jeans were caught in its massive jaw, teeth all sharp and deadly looking. Claws sprouted from four of its legs and I say _only_ four because it had two more with webbed feet.

The earth below Ugly the Chimera crumbled and it yelped as it dropped down and I screamed as it dragged me down with it. We soon reached the cold and hard ground, my head rebounding against the earth _very_ uncomfortably. I groaned in pain and grabbed my poor cranium, looking around to see where it crawled off to.

I saw it in the corner, under a lantern. Drool sprayed from his mouth as it shook its body the way dogs did.

I scrambled up quickly, pressing myself against the wall. Ugly looked at the sudden movement and went low to the ground, getting ready to pounce. Panicked, I looked for a weapon and was delighted to see the tree branch I grabbed earlier. I picked it up quickly and not a moment too soon. It pounced and I swung the branch with all my might, my eyes shut tightly.

I felt something connect and I opened my eyes to see Ugly on the ground, a gash above his eye. _I hit it!_ I thought victoriously.

The feeling of victory was short lived as I saw Ugly rear its head back and charge forward. Me, being the most un-athletic person I know, couldn't move away fast enough and screeched in pain as I felt one of its claws sink into my flesh. I summoned any strength I had and _somehow_ managed to shove Ugly off. I grabbed stones from the ground and started throwing them haphazardly at him. I landed a few good licks, I guess, because it whined in pain.

I pushed myself up, holding onto the new wounds. When I looked down, I saw blood staining my hand. Ugly growled again, circling me. Crap, crap, crap, it was coming for another attack.

"O-okay, be a nice little kitty...crocodile...thing and let me go, huh? I'll never ever disturb you again! Fair enough, no?" I pleaded.

Ugly didn't listen to a word I said and just snarled.

Fear ran down my spine. "Crap, crap, crap," I murmured, trying to prepare for the next attack. Or however you prepare for a fight. Arms up in defense? Legs free for running? I settled for both.

It lunged at me and with an 'Eep!' I dropped to the ground. It jumped over me and landed a few feet away. Confused, it looked for me under its claws. I took this moment to run.

I knew running from an animal was probably the stupidest plan, but I wasn't thinking straight. I just kept running, taking random turns and following the lanterns so I didn't lose light. I thought maybe if I ran far enough, Ugly would lose interest. Sure, I'd be lost in a creepy, dark cave, but at least I won't have to get mauled to death. And, I don't know, maybe I could buy some time before Ed and Al came and rescued me. Surely they heard the scream and came running, like the heroes they were.

Right?

I sniffled, slowing down into a walk. The long overdue tears gathered up in my eyes. I collapsed to the ground, falling on my knees in exhaustion. Between the panting from running and the gasps from crying, I wasn't sure how I was breathing. I wailed, biting my lip to keep from making too much noise in case Ugly was somewhere close. I pulled my knees to my chest and put my face in my arms as I sobbed.

I thought about everything. From Truth. To Scar attacking me. Now, I was being attacked by a chimera. A freaking _chimera!_

Why? Just why? Why was this happening to me? Did I do something to deserve this? Was this karma because I punched Noah in the face? This was so _stupid._

My heart began racing again and my hiccuping sobs started turning into hyperventilating.

I want to go home. I want my dad. I want my mom. Screw this whole country. I hate Amestris.

A small laugh escaped my throat. I remember when I was younger I used to wish and _beg_ for something like this to happen. I desperately wanted an adventure. Twelve year old me would have jumped at the opportunity to meet Ed and Al and go to a fictional world. This freaking _sucked._ All those fan fictions made this seem a whole lot more fun. It's a whole bunch of lies is what it is.

" _I hate it here."_

My brows cinched together as something flashed in my head.

" _What do you mean?"_

I saw the same boy from my dream. But he was different. He was smaller, as if he were younger. The scene appeared in my head, scarily vivid again. He shook his hair out of his eyes, only for it to fall back into place. I focused on it before it disappeared.

 _They were lying in a field, staring up into the blue sky. Clouds floated up in the wind. A young girl was pouting next to him, lower lip jutted out. The same girl from the dream. Like before, the image of her was vague like how most people are in dreams._

" _Nothing exciting happens here. I want to go on an adventure," she mused, watching a cloud that looked like a bunny._

" _An adventure? Like what?" The boy asked, turning to look at her._

 _She grinned, rolling up to a sitting position. One of her front teeth were missing. "I wanna go out and explore the world! I wanna fight bad guys and get superpowers like Daddy!"_

" _Your dad doesn't have superpowers, dummy," the boy said. "He just knows alchemy."_

" _Same thing!" She exclaimed, standing. "One day I'll do it! I'll get on a train, find a teacher, and get away from here. Where I can do what I want, when I want, and no one can stop me. You're gonna come with me, right?"_

 _The boy stared at her. Suddenly he was seeing her adventure, just the two of them, one train, and new experiences on the horizon. He grinned, and I saw he was also missing a tooth in the same place she was._

" _Of course I am!"_

The image faded from my mind.

 _Great_ , I thought glumly, _I'm hurt, I'm lost, and now I'm hallucinating. I'm officially going insane._

I shook my head and closed my eyes.

 _In, for five seconds._

 _Out for seven._

I was breathing normally again. I stood up on shaky legs, patting the dirt off of my jeans. I checked the scratch Ugly gave me and sighed in relief. I had stopped bleeding.

I looked to my right and saw lanterns lit all the way down the tunnel I was currently in. I swallowed and moved forward, following the light.

After a few minutes of walking, I managed to find the last lantern. The path before me was pitch black. I reached up on my tiptoes to grab the lantern from the hook. It took a bit, but I managed to get it, and I put the light source in front of me, continuing to walk. However, as soon as I put it front of me, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Cages lined the walls, sleeping animals inside. I bit my tongue before I made a sound, not wanting to wake the beasts up. They weren't just any animals. These were chimeras. And a lot of them.

* * *

 **Dun dun dun.**

 **Until Next Chap**


	8. Don't Forget

**Chapter 7: Don't Forget**

 **Aka: You're Not a Fighter**

* * *

XoXo... Edward POV ...XoXo

* * *

Edward followed after Ivy, rolling his eyes. Did she ever stop for a second? He could have this landslide cleared in seconds. It was almost like she forgot who she was with.

Alphonse followed behind him, strangely silent. Ed wondered what he was thinking about.

When they both left the train, about six workers were digging into the landslide. Ivy was among them and stuck out like a sore thumb. She looked absolutely tiny compared to the burly train workers who were covered in soot from shoveling coal into the engine. Ed watched her struggle to carry a stray tree branch that was almost as tall as her. She walked to the edge of the cliff and tossed it. It barely made any distance and rolled off the side of the cliff.

"You take the left, I take the right?" Ed suggested. Al nodded.

Alphonse walked to the left side of the debris and Ed tried to walk forward before he was stopped by one guy. He stood like a giant, looking down at him in confusion. "Get back on the train, kid, and let the men do the work. A shorty like you will just get in the way."

Ed felt unbridled rage rise in his chest. He shoved his state alchemist watch up in the man's face. "Why don't you let the pros do the work, _huh_?!" He shoved the man aside and stomped up to his pile of rubble. Alphonse was finishing up drawing his transmutation circle in the dirt and gave the nod to him. "Stand back, everyone!" Ed shouted.

They clapped their hands in unison.

The tell-tale blue lightning of a transmutation erupted around the landslide. Ed squinted into the bright light, watching the sparks manifest and detect the chemical properties of the land. He would never get tired of seeing that, no matter how many times he sees it. He focused on changing the debris into walls that cleared the train tracks and the material in front of him shifted and bent to his will, doing just as he thought. Twenty foot tall walls erupted from both sides. He stood to admire his handiwork when a high pitched scream tore his attention away.

He managed to see Ivy fall as the earth crumbled below her and both he and Al took off running. Panic gripped his chest as he approached the edge. Alphonse was already there.

"IVY! ARE YOU OKAY?" Al called and relief poured into him. Ed peeked over the ledge next to his younger brother and saw Ivy had thankfully fallen to another ledge below. She laid amongst loose soil from where she was standing and it looked like she was opening her eyes. She squirmed and Ed saw that she looked relatively unhurt.

"HEY! KID! YOU DIDN'T GET ANY MORE BRAIN DAMAGE, DID YOU?" He called out, teasing.

He could see her glare from down there. "I'M FINE!" She snapped and sat up. She held her head in her hands, probably sore from the landing.

A burly man Ed recalled that had spoken to Ivy appeared beside them then. "Did you break anything, miss?!" He called out to her.

She looked down at herself as if to check. She shook her head. "No! I'm okay!" She called back.

He nodded. "We're going to get some rope and get you out of there, okay? Just sit tight!" He stood then, and turned to the brothers. "You two with her?" He asked.

They nodded.

He grunted in acknowledgement. "We have some rope in the engine room. You," he pointed to Alphonse, "come with me. You," he pointed to Edward, "Wait by the train. We'll come with the climbing equipment."

Alphonse stood and went to follow the man as Edward walked over to the train. He leaned against it, looking up into the blue sky. The sooner they got back to East City HQ the better. He'd report what notebooks he found to that smug bastard of a Colonel and then both he and Al could go find another lead.

He scowled, remembering the false hope he had. Ashwell was supposed to be it; it was groundbreaking to have found the missing journals of Nicholas Flamel. He and Al couldn't believe it when they first heard of it and raced to get to nearest train to Ashwell. What a bust. He had stayed up all night reading the journals and it was all about philosophical nonsense, probably written around the time he went nuts. He let Alphonse keep them, not wanting to read another word of that disappointment. _More empty leads,_ he thought bitterly.

"UM, GUYS? DID YOU FIND THAT ROPE YET?" He heard Ivy call.

Ed rolled his eyes. Can't she wait just a little bit longer? She was like a stray cat; so impatient. _And lost,_ Ed thought sympathetically. When they found her, he couldn't believe how much blood there was.

"Brother!"

Ed looked up to see Al's call. In his hands were rope and some climbing equipment.

"ED?! AL?!" Came Ivy's panicked voice. Then she screamed.

Edward and Alphonse took off running. They managed to get to the edge and see Ivy being dragged into the cliff. Ed instinctually went to jump after her, but Al pulled him back by his hood. He hated it when he did that.

"Brother, stop! You can't just jump down there. What if you get hurt?" Before Ed could retort, Al shoved the climbing equipment into his hands. "Use this. I'll go first."

Ed cursed under his breath as he stared at the weird contraptions in his hands. He watched Alphonse jump down effortlessly, landing perfectly, his armor clanging with the fall. At times like these Ed was almost jealous that Al didn't have to worry about bodily setbacks.

* * *

XoXo... Alphonse POV ...XoXo

* * *

After landing, Alphonse looked to where she could have possibly been dragged off to. Upon seeing a cave opening, he dashed inside, quickly being engulfed in darkness. _Please be okay,_ he hoped. She had been through enough.

Curiously though, he saw lanterns lined up on the walls of the cave. Someone had to have put them there. Was it the person who dragged Ivy away? A new fear gripped onto him as he continued forward.

He eventually came across a hole in the cavern floor, stretching to both sides of the walls in the tunnel. Ivy had to have fallen down there. _Or was taken there,_ he thought worriedly. He dropped down.

The drop wasn't deep at all. It was roughly ten feet deep and a labyrinth of tunnels weaved themselves around this small clearing. It was definitely man-made, or alchemically made. There was no natural element to this place. "Ivy?" Al called. His voice echoed through the tunnels. Bad vibes emanated from all around.

Growling from behind him alerted him. He spun to meet the culprit and saw something he hadn't in a while. A chimera. It bared its teeth as it snarled at him and through the lantern light he saw tatters of fabric in its mouth. Al recognized it as Ivy's jeans when it lunged at him.

He didn't even think as he grabbed the chimera by its fur and tossed it into the wall. It cried out in protest as it hit the rock wall, falling to the floor. Whining, it limped away, dashing down one of the tunnels.

Al felt panic envelop him as he realized that the chimera was what he dragged Ivy away. Did she manage to run from the beast, or did it maul her? Al knew she was no fighter. Other than the pieces of jean in the chimera's mouth, there was no sign of the girl. He scoured the clearing for anything, any sign or indication as to which tunnel she had gone down.

Something glinted in the flame's light and caught Al's eye. It was in the corner, in front of the tunnel the chimera had wandered down into. He approached it.

It was the State Alchemist Pocket Watch. He'd recognize it from anywhere. Had Ivy still had his brother's watch on her? He remembered that he had given it to her to ward off travel sickness. When he picked it up, something seemed...off.

It looked like the pocket watch, but it didn't _feel_ like the pocket watch. Although Alphonse couldn't feel things, he knew how much things weighed by years of practice and seeing how easily he could pick something up. This was much lighter than it was supposed to be, he was sure. Upon closer inspection, it was almost like it wasn't made of steel.

He shook his head. He must be imagining things.

On instinct, he tried to open it and was surprised to see it actually work. Edward had alchemically shut it long ago. It never opened for anyone but him.

 _Don't forget_

 _3\. Oct. 11_

The words automatically registered and he was gripped with sadness. 3. Oct. 11. That was when they had burned their home down. Why would Ed engrave that date in his watch?

"AL?" Ed's voice echoed off the walls.

"Down here!" Al called back.

In a moment, Ed jumped down, grunting as he landed. He was serious, mouth downturned into a frown. His voice was low with concern. "Where's the kid?"

Al shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't found her yet." Ed cursed under his breath. "But Brother, it was a chimera."

His brows shot up into his forehead. "A chimera? What's a chimera doing here?"

"I don't know, but I bet it has to do with whoever put all these lanterns up," Al replied. He was about to hand him the pocket watch, but the question died before he could say it.

He saw the chain dangling on his brother's hip.

There was no mistaking it, but Al refused to believe. "Brother?" He asked. "Do you have your pocket watch?"

Ed stared at him incredulously. "Yeah...why?"

Al felt like he was paralyzed. It couldn't be. "What time is it?"

Ed stared at him as if he were deranged, but complied. He took out the watch from his pocket and clicked it open. "Just a little past noon."

Al clutched the other watch in his hand, putting it behind his back. "Okay, thank you," he said and he hoped it didn't sound as mechanical as he felt.

Ed rolled his eyes and marched on forward, down the tunnel that Alphonse stood in front of. "Cmon, let's go find the kid."

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

Half bird-lizard things lay in cages next to cat-rabbit hybrids and other weird combinations. They ranged from tiny cross-breeds to massive ones, like Ugly. Bear/boars and lions/wolves and other things that were so messed up I couldn't recognize it. In the corner I saw a broken cage, the bars dented and teeth marks in the iron. I guess that's where Ugly came from.

I felt fear grip my heart and I instinctively reached into my pocket for my anchor in this madness. I felt a whole new fear when I didn't feel it in my pocket.

"Where did it go?" I mused to myself, patting every pocket I had. Where's the watch?

I thought back to where it could possibly be and I wanted to cry out in frustration. It could have fallen out of my pocket so many times. When I fell the first time, when Ugly dragged me down into that trench. It was probably lost somewhere in this maze of a place.

New tears threatened to form but I blinked them back. No. No more crying. Losing the watch was horrible, but ultimately it didn't matter. As long as I got out of here, safe and sound, that's all that mattered.

 _And finding Noah,_ my subconscious reminded me.

I breathed in, focusing on the image of Noah in my mind. I didn't need an object to remind myself I was sane. There was a whole other person who had lived through the same thing I did, who would remind me that what happened was real, and not some wickedly vivid dream.

In the distance, I saw papers attached to the wall. I approached it, shining the lantern onto the pages. It was a map of Amestris. There were a few towns that had been circled in red marker. Noticing it was only towns along the borders, I traced my finger from one town to the next. My eyes widened, realizing why it looked so familiar.

"The Nationwide transmutation circle," I whispered to myself.

Seeing the map confirmed a question I'd been pondering for a bit. This must be Brotherhood. I was dropped into the manga.

"My, my...What do we have here?"

I froze at the voice. Instantly the panic began to rise in my throat as I turned around to answer the question that was screaming in my head. Deep violet eyes met mine and she flipped her rolling dark waves over her shoulder.

"A little girl. How curious," she purred, taking long steps toward me. Her heels clicked against the stone floor. "How did you find this place?"

"Lust," I whispered against my better judgment.

Her playful smirk fell into a frown. "What did you say?"

"You're Lust," I couldn't help but repeat, insanity clearly taking over my mouth, "The Homunculus."

Before I could blink, one of her deadly spears pinned me to the wall behind me. I let out a choked gasp as she glared at me. "How do you know my name? How did you find this place?" She demanded, her voice sharp.

"I fell," I squeaked, my voice weak and shaky.

She raised a perfectly sculpted brow at me. "You fell," she repeated as if it were the stupidest thing she could have heard. She sighed. "What unfortunate luck you must have to stumble upon this place. But in addition to that, you know my name and my little secret. I want to know how."

I smiled weakly, "I'm a smart kid...?"

Her eyes flashed in anger and I felt pain in the side of my neck. Her finger pierced the stone wall behind me. "I asked you a question," she hissed, "I don't like waiting."

"I travel with the Elric brothers!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself. I slapped a hand to my mouth, willing myself to _shut up._

She considered that for a moment while eyeing my movements. Realization dawned on her. "Ah. You're the girl that Envy saw fleeing from the Scarred One."

I furrowed my brows at that. Envy saw that?

"And then the Elrics found you like the stray kitten you are," she said. She tutted her tongue. "A pity. If that's true, that must mean they're searching for you. They weren't supposed to see this place."

"I'm sorry?" I tried.

She smirked at that. "You're funny. No wonder they wanted to keep you," she said. "I hope those brothers don't mind me putting down their new pet."

Panic consumed me and I blurted the first thing that came to my mind before she skewered me. "I know you want to become human!"

It worked. She faltered, true confusion filling her face. I took that moment to run.

I thanked my lucky stars that I was a sprinter as I flew down the tunnels. I mentally beat myself. What was I thinking?! If the Nationwide Transmutation Circle is a thing, that means this was manga Lust! The not-redeemable one who was pure evil. I probably just pissed her off.

Two familiar eyes reflected in the darkness and I skidded to a halt, dropping my lantern. It shattered, glass spraying my feet. Just when I thought my luck couldn't get any worse.

Ugly found me.

I looked in horror as I saw Ugly bare his fangs at me. Ooh, he recognized me. And he was _not_ happy. I assumed a defensive stance even though I knew damn well I knew nothing of fighting. A girl could try. With dismay I noticed blood dripped from its mouth, a few teeth knocked out of place. I felt my heart constrict. _He's hurt._

I shook my head. What am I doing?! I can't feel sorry for the thing! It tried to kill me!

Ugly took my confusion as time to pounce. I screamed, ducking to the side as quickly as I could. I somehow managed to evade the attack and did something that made no sense.

I hopped on his back.

I cringed in disgust as I felt things squirm underneath me. That was when I noticed amongst the matted fur, Ugly's back was covered in tiny frog legs. Ignoring my disgust, I wrapped my arms around Ugly's neck, tangling my hands in his fur. I also wrapped my legs as much as I could around his lower body.

I don't know! I panicked! I thought, 'He can't chew my face off if I'm on his back'!

Ugly roared, running in circles and jumping, trying to dislodge me from his body. I shut my eyes as tight as they could go, holding on for dear life as he tried bucking me off. He ran himself into the walls of the tunnel wildly and I felt my grip loosen. With one final buck, he threw me off his back and I flew into the wall, all air pushing out of my lungs from the force. I felt my head hit the stone wall painfully. I crumbled to the ground, head swirling.

I looked up to see Lust in the shadows, behind the bend of another tunnel entrance. "You aren't much of a fighter, are you?" She commented snidely. Upon hearing a snarl, she glanced at the chimera who was getting ready to pounce again. "You may want to get up. It looks like the chimera is up for round two."

With effort, I rolled my head to see Ugly, digging his claws into the ground, gearing up to charge at me. I felt so tired. So helpless. I wanted to give up, let Ugly eat me. Lust was going to kill me either way. It was a matter of _who_ : the chimera, or her.

I peeled myself off from the ground, summoning whatever strength I still had. Ugly charged at me and in the madness I managed to sidestep him, resulting in him hitting the wall face first. I knew I must have hit my head hard because a little of insane laughter bubbled out of my mouth. In retaliation, he swiped a claw at me, tearing at the shoulder Scar had first hit me. I knew the stitches were torn and I felt hot, sticky blood drip down my arm.

Ugly turned quickly and pounced. I fell to the ground, his weight pinning me in place, one claw digging into one of my arms. I was done for. This is how I died.

Ivy Thompson,

Dead at age 15.

Suddenly, staring up at the fangs only a foot away from my throat ignited a flame inside me.

I flung my free arm out to reach for something— _anything—_ when I felt my hands touch the broken glass of the lantern.

My mind went blank.

Next thing I knew, Ugly let out a strangled cry and fell forwards, squishing me underneath him. I felt the panic and waited for the pain to begin as he ripped my throat out with his teeth, but nothing happened.

A warmth blanketed over my torso and soaked through my shirt. It was...wet?

My vision cleared and I saw a long shard of glass gripped so tightly in my hand that it cut into the skin. I felt Ugly's body twitch above me and this thick metallic smell filled my nose. I dropped the shard as if it were iron hot as the animal twitched.

Once. Twice.

Then went limp.

I screamed as I struggled under the weight, trying desperately to shove him off. I was hysterical, screaming and crying and wailing as loud as I could, trying to push the chimera off me. I was pinned, too weak to free myself. Any fear I previously had vanished and was replaced with this unbearable guilt.

 _I killed him. I killed him. I killed him._

I heard Lust's heels clack toward me. "Congratulations. You've killed the chimera," she said sarcastically.

I couldn't answer her. Another sob burst from my mouth as I feebly tried to get out from under. "Kill me," I hiccuped.

She seemed surprised. "What?

I wanted to die. I didn't want to live knowing I had taken a life. I didn't want to live knowing I was doomed to repeat danger like this. I just wanted this nightmare to be over. "Kill me...please..."

She stared at me in an expression I couldn't read.

* * *

XoXo... Edward POV ...XoXo

* * *

Ed and Al were sure they were lost in the labyrinth of tunnels when a scream pierced the silence. The brothers took off running.

"Don't be what I think it is," Alphonse murmured to himself.

Ed didn't respond. He just focused on the sounds, determined to get there before they stopped. _Don't be hurt,_ Ed pleaded in his head.

The cries became louder and they turned one final time only to see a woman stood over Ivy, Ivy pinned and sobbing underneath a chimera.

"HEY!" Ed's voice boomed. The woman snapped her head to see him. He blazed through, clapping his hands as he went. He slammed his hands on the wall, willing the rocks to punch the woman away from her. She evaded his attack and sprinted away, ducking into the darkness of the cave. Ed had half a mind to chase after her but Ivy's panicked sobbing snapped him out of it.

Alphonse was by her side in a second, pushing the chimera away. Ed got ready to fight it off, but the chimera's body rolled lifelessly off of her. Once free, she scrambled away, hyperventilating, and pressed herself against the opposite wall, hugging herself.

Ed saw the pool of blood where Ivy once was laying and saw her shirt and arms smothered in red. Realization hit him.

 _She killed it,_ he thought, eyeing the bloodied shard of glass on the ground.

"Ivy, it's us. You're okay now," Alphonse cooed, crouching down to her level.

Her eyes were wild as she stared at the carcass of the beast across from her. She didn't seem to hear Alphonse, no matter what he said. She kept whispering something under her breath, and he could barely catch it.

" _ImsorryImsorryImsorry_ ," she babbled repeatedly, gaze fixed on the chimera. Alphonse kept trying to get her attention, but his words fell on deaf ears as she stared at the animal. She heaved heavy, short breaths.

Edward knew what to do. He bent down in front of her, covering the beast from view.

Then he slapped her.

"Brother!" Al gasped in horror.

Edward took hold of her arms and shook her. " _Look at me!_ " He commanded.

She did as told.

He looked into her wide almond eyes. He made his voice firm. "It's over."

She blinked, as if realizing where she were, and brought a hand to touch the cheek he had hit. Her eyes skimmed to the beast behind him and she gasped. Tears bubbled over and a strangled cry came from her throat. "I-I...Ed, I—"

"I know," he interrupted her, voice gentle. "It's okay. You did what you had to do."

Another sob escaped her throat and she fell forward, collapsing into his chest. He immediately stiffened upon the embrace. She cried harder, tangling her hands in his coat. "I'm sor-ry...I'm s-so sorry..." she hiccuped, mumbling into his shirt.

Ed didn't know what to do. He was not a touchy-feely person and he certainly didn't know how to deal with crying girls. This was usually Al's job. Figuring he should do something, he put his arms around her, feeling her tremble under his touch. Ed looked to his younger brother, finding his eyes glued to Ivy coming undone in his lap. He smoothed her hair, trying something his mother used to do whenever he had been upset, but the gesture seemed awkward and unnatural. "It's okay. You're okay," he whispered to her.

"We need to get her to a doctor, Brother," Al said then.

Ed looked down at the heap of a girl. She was absolutely covered in blood. He had no idea if it were hers or the chimera's. He nodded. "Yeah," he agreed.

He tried to stand and push Ivy off, but she clung to him tighter. He heaved a sigh and scooped her up in his arms, her body limp in his hold. She kept her face hidden in his coat as he followed Alphonse out the cave.

* * *

 **Man, it's been a while since I wrote action scenes. This sequence almost didn't make the cut in the rewrite, but I decided against removing it. I tried to update this earlier today, before i went to work, but I was running late.**

 **Merry Christmas Eve! Expect another update tomorrow! Consider it a gift from me to you. Maybe review as a little gift from you to me? Eh, eh?**

 **Happy Holidays and I hope you have a wonderful day**

 **Until Next Chap**


	9. Betrayal

**Chapter 8: Betrayal**

 **Aka You're Not Supposed to Spoil!**

 _ **Psssst. You. Yeah, you. There's a crap ton of POV shifting in this, so keep an eye out**_

* * *

XoXo... Alphonse POV ...XoXo

* * *

Alphonse and Edward managed to navigate out of the tunnel maze without issue. The train workers were overjoyed to see the three of them out safely and dropped ropes down for each of them to climb. Ivy had been in such a state of distress, Edward had to force her to release him so she could be pulled up. She wordlessly followed his instructions, eyes staring down at the ground the whole time.

When they had gotten up, the burly man who had helped them initially was shocked to see the mess Ivy was in but Ed managed to divert attention away, flashing his state alchemist pocket watch and herding the crowd of people who sat in wait for their return.

Alphonse was in charge of watching after Ivy while he reported to Colonel Mustang about the chimera incident. The landslide was cleared and the train was fully operational so they were moving again. Al managed to get Ivy to change her clothes in the bathroom and they were now sitting back in their booth.

Ivy had been silent through all of it, staring into nothing and refusing to make eye contact. He sat across from her, wishing to give her space.

There were a million questions he wanted to ask her and the pocket watch he still held burned a hole in his apron*. As shocking as the pocket watch was, now was not the time to ask.

Soon sleep mercifully took her and Alphonse felt himself relax. He watched her as she slept, feeling his heart swell in sympathy as he saw the dried blood that clumped a lock of hair together.

Edward returned, stealing a glance at the sleeping girl. Al saw his eyes flash an empathetic tenderness he didn't show often, but as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, and his golden eyes were trained on Alphonse's red orbs.

"I called the Colonel and told him about the chimera and weird cave," he said.

"What did he say?" Al asked, scooting over to give his brother some space.

He sat down heavily, crossing his arms over his chest. "He wanted to question the kid," he replied, nodding his head to Ivy. Al began to shake his head, but Ed quelled his concern. "I told him to go to hell; there's no way she's in any shape to handle that."

Al nodded, proud his brother stuck up for her. However, he was more relieved that she wouldn't be taken away before he could question her himself.

"The nearest town is ten minutes away. There's a hospital there." Ed stared at the sleeping girl before them. "We'll stop there for the night. Give her a chance to catch her breath."

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

Hughes was on the phone with his friend. He told me his name was Roy Mustang and the moment I heard that name, it bothered me. I knew something about him. His name was too familiar and the feeling I had in my gut was too strong to ignore.

"I'll see you soon, then," Hughes said and then hung up. The sound of the click as he put the earpiece back on its hook sounded massively loud. He trained his eyes on me. "We're in luck; he's getting transferred to Central soon."

I raised an eyebrow. "Transferred?"

"He's stationed in East City HQ, but he's on the way to a promotion. He was sent the papers today," Hughes told me. "Once he gets here, you'll meet with him and tell him everything you told me. HQ has more resources than we have here."

Betrayal, bitter and hot, gathered in my throat. "You're pawning me off to some military dog?"

His eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

I stood roughly, the chair I was sitting on screeching on the linoleum floor. "I should have known, man," I laughed darkly, shaking my head. "I shoulda known."

"Noah, what are you going on about?" He demanded, his voice sharp.

"You're just like the rest of them," I spat, balling my hands into fists. "The moment things get tough, you're bailing. You think I'm crazy; you never believed a word I said. I was wrong about you." I scoffed. "To think I thought you were different."

"NOAH!" He shouted, but it was too late. I was already gone. I ran out of the office, not looking back.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I blinked the sleep from my eyes and squinted into the brightness. An open jaw with rows of razor sharp teeth flashed to mind and I shot up from where I was laying. I learned to regret that when an excruciating pain screamed in my temple and I squeezed my eyes shut to ward off the pain. When the pounding in my head lightened, I opened my eyes. Buzzing artificial lights streamed on my face and I became aware I was in a bed, firm and uncomfortable. I bunched the thin gray sheet in my hand and realized it was a hospital bed.

I frowned. That's twice now. I really had to make sure it didn't become a habit to wake up in hospitals.

"You're awake," a voice said and I snapped my head toward the sound, momentary panic seizing my chest.

Relief bloomed when I saw Alphonse, sitting in a chair next to me.

"It's only you," I sighed, resting a hand on my still erratic heart.

"It's only me," he confirmed.

I tried to force a smile in his direction, but it pained me to even lift the corners of my mouth. I looked around at the white plain walls, a window to my right. The sun was setting and streamed in hues of oranges from the glass. The absence of a blonde caught my attention.

"Where's Ed?" I asked, my voice rough. My throat was thrashed and it hurt to even swallow. Memories floated before me, teasing, and all at once it came back to me. _I killed Ugly,_ I thought, the statement weighing on my mind. A place in my chest ached emptily and I recalled all the hysterical crying. I reached a hand up to my cheek, the one Ed had slapped. I could still feel the echoes of the sting.

"He's at a hotel, getting our room for the night," Al told me.

I pinched my brows together. "I thought we weren't supposed to stay? What happened to the plan?"

He shook his head. "We'll continue tomorrow," he said and I felt a pang of guilt when I heard the pity in his voice.

I felt my face flush in anger and I fisted the thin gray blanket in my hand, frustrated with myself. "I just keep causing you and Edward more grief, huh?"

Al straightened. "What? No, of course not!"

"I'm so sorry," I said, staring down at my bandaged hand. "I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience." I saw Al about to retort and I raised my hand to stop him. "I am, Alphonse. In every sense of the word. I'm sorry for holding you two up. I'm sure there are a hundred things you two rather be doing than babysitting me."

Al was silenced. We sat like that for a while, letting my words anchor the quiet.

"Ivy," he spoke suddenly. I looked at him and his red orbs burned into my brown ones. The seriousness in his tone made me freeze.

"Yes?" I asked hesitantly.

He looked away then, staring down at his hands. I saw him fumble with something, but it was just out of eyeshot. "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded eagerly. "Sure; anything."

A moment of silence lapsed between us. His voice was quiet when he spoke again. "What do you know about this?" He asked, setting something down on the bedside table.

It was my pocket watch.

My palms got all clammy and it suddenly felt way too hot in here, under the fluorescent lightbulbs. I cleared my throat before answering, wanting my voice to be strong. "That's Ed's watch, isn't it?" I asked as innocently as I could, knowing damn well it wasn't.

He stared at me in an emotion I couldn't read on an armored face. "No. It's not."

"Oh," I said stupidly, eyes fixed on that dumb piece of merchandise. That stupid, stupid pocket watch. I wanted to burn it right that second. I wanted to throw it into the ocean. Destroy it so no one could see it again. "W-where did you find it?"

"It's yours, isn't it?" He said, ignoring my question. His voice was dangerously quiet and for the first time, Alphonse scared me.

I tried to shake my head 'no' but my body wouldn't listen to me. I couldn't do it. I couldn't look into his eyes and _lie_ to his face. Not anymore.

"Isn't it?" He asked again, raising his voice slightly.

The jig was up. He knew. He knew, he knew, he knew and now everything was going to fall apart. I nodded, feeling tears prick my eyes. I blinked them away.

After my answer, Alphonse grew very still. I gnawed on my bottom lip, biting as hard as I could without drawing blood. All of the guilt about lying to them—the only people in this messed up world who were kind to me—boiled in the pit of my stomach.

I knew I couldn't keep up this charade. I was just some stupid girl. How could I fool the two most intelligent people I've come to know? I couldn't. I couldn't, but I still tried to. I mean, don't I get a little bit of credit for trying?

"How do you know about it," he said quietly.

"Know about what?" I asked nervously.

"The date," he said. "How do you know about that date?"

I was confused. He wasn't going to ask about how I have a state alchemist watch? What date was he—

Oh.

 _The_ date.

"October 3rd, 1911," I said and he nodded. I searched for any way to explain, any way to not sound like an excuse. Half of my brain was screaming at me, begging and pleading not to reveal the secret. _You have to keep the series on track. You have to be an observer. You cannot intervene._

But the other half of my brain was tired. This half knew that Alphonse deserved the truth. It knew that I couldn't keep lying to them and it was useless to try.

I took a deep breath. "This is going to sound crazy," I started, saying each word slowly, as if my words were bombs that would explode, "But I assure you that everything I'm about to say to you is the one-hundred percent, authentic truth."

He stared at me expectantly, and I felt my heart begin to beat wildly. Every fiber of my being was shrieking to me to not do it, but I had already decided.

"I'm not from here," I stated and upon seeing the confusion, I quickly explained. "And I don't mean Amestris. I mean this entire world."

"What?" He asked and I hastily tried to retrace my steps.

"Just please bear with me for this story," I pleaded, looking into his eyes. "It's gonna sound hella crazy before it makes any sense."

Slowly, he nodded.

I sighed in relief, sifting through the words in my head. "I come from a place called San Francisco in a country called America," I explained. "From my understanding, where I come from, it's like a whole different dimension. It's like that theory we were talking about," I said, referencing our conversation on the train. "It's a dimension parallel to this one, I think, except there's this weird little...thing."

I hesitated, wondering how to launch into the whole 'we-have-an-animated-series-about-your-entire-life-lol'. I grabbed the pocket watch on the nightstand, tracing the state insignia on top. "I-I don't know how, so don't ask me, but there's these...stories about you and Edward."

"Stories?" He questioned.

I nodded. "Yeah. There's two of them—both are extremely different from each other, but have the same, uh, underlying thing of it being about you and Ed and your journey and stuff," I said, feeling silly talking about it to the very person it was about. "In fact, I'm a big fan of your story! Which, um, sounds really weird. And creepy. And _I'mreallysorry_ but uh, yeah. I read them."

I wanted to punch myself in the face. Why did I have to be so awkward? "And I know it sounds totally implausible, and I thought so too, when I got zapped here, but everything has been pretty much exact so far, so I really do think the stories about you and Ed are true, for the most part. It explains this," I said, holding up the pocket watch for him to see. It dangled from the chain. "This is, um, merchandise for your story. It's supposed to be a replica of Ed's."

"A replica of brother's?" He asked, his voice piquing in interest. "So, Brother has that date engraved in his watch?"

I bit my tongue, realizing I just revealed something I wasn't supposed to. Oh god, how did I already royally screw up?

I nodded, not knowing how to get out of this one. "Yes," I admitted. "But you can't tell him you know!"

"Why not?" He asked, and it sounded like a taunt, as if he were saying, ' _just try and stop me.'_

"Because!" I exclaimed, unable to figure out a proper reason. That information isn't exactly important, but it's still something I shouldn't have spoiled about. "That information was for Ed to tell you when he was ready. You weren't supposed to find out this way."

He was silenced by that.

"And I don't know which of the two stories you two are following, if you're following them at all," I conceded, figuring I should just get it all out now. "I'm not supposed to be here. My being here is probably screwing with the timeline of your story right as we speak."

He was quiet still, digesting the information bomb I just dropped on him. I don't blame him; I get a headache just thinking about it myself.

"So if you know our story," he began then. I looked up to see him avoid my gaze. "You already know what we've done."

I felt my heart ache, hearing the pain in his voice. "Yes," I told him quietly.

He nodded somberly. "Ivy, do we ever get our bodies back?"

I flinched at his question, my eyes going wide.

He looked away. "Judging by your reaction, I guess we don't."

The pain in his voice made my heart hurt. "NO! That's not it at all!" I exclaimed and I wanted to take it back immediately after I said it. He looked at me hopefully then and panic rose in my throat. "I-I mean, I can't tell you."

"And why not?" He challenged and that fear I had of Alphonse returned.

"Because if I tell you anything, I'm afraid I'll screw everything up," I said quickly and honestly. "If I interfere or tell you something about your future, it could mess with the balance of your story, because you might want to change what I told you. It'll cause a chain reaction that might end up getting someone hurt, or worse. It might even change everything entirely and you two might get killed. That is the _last_ thing I would ever want."

He stared at me then and I willed myself to not look away. He was searching for something and he thought the answer was in me. My heart raced and I squeezed my phony pocket watch for strength.

He stood and turned away from me.

My heart dropped into my stomach. This was it. He was going to leave me.

"We shouldn't keep Brother waiting," he announced suddenly.

He began walking away and I scrambled out of the bed, running after him on shaky legs.

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

It was sunset already by the time I made it to the park.

It was the park I had woken up in, after being put here. In my anger, it completely slipped my mind I had nowhere to go. I don't know why the park was my first instinct, but it made sense. This is where everything started, after all. _It felt...special._ I wanted to roll my eyes at the thought. I was _not_ a sentimental person; I didn't have time for that sappy crap.

I walked to the swing set, sitting down. I was too tall, my feet touching the wood chips that covered the ground, but I still had more leg to give. I settled my feet comfortably in the parts where kids had dug a well in the bark wood from kicking at it while swinging.

Absently, I pushed myself back and lifted my feet off the ground so I could adequately sway. The swing set groaned under my weight.

I kicked at the wood chips, a bitter taste in my mouth. I felt like such an asshole, losing it on Hughes like that. But at the same time, he ratted me out. To the military, no less.

I felt a lump grow in my throat, sadness sitting deep in my chest. I really thought he was different. I was beginning to think I saw the shining exception in this shitty world, but I was wrong.

A breeze whizzed by and I felt myself shiver.

 _Can't go back to the apartment,_ I realized. So I was on my own again.

I stood from the swing, walking toward the bench. _The_ bench. The one I had woken up on in this new strange world.

I sat down, the wood feeling cold and hard. I pulled the long sleeves of my shirt over my hands as I laid back, draping over it. I felt a pang of sadness realizing that I wouldn't get to see Gracia again.

I tried to ignore all the crappy emotions I was feeling, too upset to make sense of any of it. I closed my eyes, hoping I could sleep it off. After I woke up the next day, I'll be gone and do my own search party to find Ivy.

Ivy.

The thought of her suddenly made me feel homesick. I wondered vaguely where she was and how she was feeling. I hope she was better off than me, anyway.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I was discharged from the hospital and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of injury. I had a mild concussion and my stitches were torn, so they had to be redone. I was thankful I had passed out, because the thought of being awake while someone threaded a needle through my skin made me want to puke. In addition to that, I just had some cuts, scrapes, and bruises. The concussion was mild, so I didn't need to be kept for observation, but I was told to avoid any strenuous activity, physically and mentally, and was given some pretty neat painkillers for any aches and pains.

I followed behind Alphonse so closely I might as well have been his shadow. He kept a grip on my wrist as we walked, as if he hadn't, I'd disappear. We were silent and I was told that the hotel was only a block away from the hospital. It wasn't too long until I saw it in view: a plain beige building with the words 'BREMEN INN' painted on the front.

As we climbed the stairs, I felt my anxiety increase and I dully wished the walk had been longer so I could gather my thoughts. I wasn't ready. I couldn't think of how to explain myself, how to relay the information to Edward and Alphonse both at the same time. One brother by himself was intimidating. The thought of them together seemed impossible.

We reached the final corridor and I walked a few feet behind, dragging my shoes and moving slowly. I hoped that maybe I could delay this interaction somehow. Morbid thoughts filled my head when I thought about what I was going to say, and how Ed was going to react to it. I wondered what they were going to do to me if they decided they didn't like what they heard.

To my dismay, our room was at the end of the hall and we arrived at our destination. I felt my hands begin to shake and I clenched them into fists to stop them. I had to be strong.

Al, for the first time since we had left the hospital, spoke. "I'll decide what to tell Brother."

I felt relief spread through my chest at the prospect of not having to confront him. Then, I furrowed my brows. "Wait. So, you _don't_ want me to tell Ed?"

" _I'll_ tell Ed," he said firmly and I shut my mouth, "And then we'll decide what to do with you."

I nodded.

He unlocked the door then and I saw Ed, sprawled on on the couch like he always does, reading a book. It wasn't one I recognized.

When he saw me, he smiled. "Hey, kid. How you feeling?"

Seeing his kind eyes made me feel so ashamed and I darted my attention away. "Okay, I guess," I mumbled. My first instinct was to sit him down and pour my heart out, explaining everything and begging him not to hate me, but I couldn't. I glanced at Al who remained motionless and quiet through it all.

Ed took notice of my change in demeanor and sat up on the couch like a normal person. I saw him about to say something and I quickly cut him off. "I'm, like, exhausted," I announced, putting energy into my voice I didn't have. "And I have a concussion and the doctor said I have to rest to make sure it doesn't get worse, so I'm gonna hit the hay."

I saw the two doors, grateful to see Ed had gotten a double bedroom. I whizzed by, waving at the confused alchemist. "So, uh, goodnight, I guess, and, um, yeah."

I quickly slammed the door closed.

The moment the door closed, I was enveloped in darkness. I wanted to hit myself for being so awkward, but there was no way I could relax near Ed and pretend like everything was fine. I blinked into the dark room, feeling the tears I had been ignoring fill my eyes. I slid to the floor, hugging myself as I let myself cry.

* * *

XoXo... Alphonse POV ...XoXo

* * *

Alphonse and Edward stared at the closed door in bewilderment.

"What's her problem?" Came Ed's exasperated voice.

Al shrugged, hoping the non-committal answer would satisfy his Brother.

It did. Ed rolled his eyes, laying back down on the couch, mumbling about 'moody girls' and the like.

Al instantly wanted to explain the things he had just learned, but something made him stay silent. He took residency on the couch across from where Edward was sitting, and took the book he had set down on the coffee table.

When he looked at the book, he felt conflicted.

It was the Nicholas Flamel notebook. The one he and Ivy discussed. He had wondered why she was so adamant about proving the multiverse theory. It made sense now.

Alphonse opened the book to make it look like he was doing something but none of the words registered. He watched the door Ivy had disappeared behind and felt guilty. She was clearly upset and it hurt to know Al had been the cause of it.

He shook his head. No. She had been lying to them the moment she met them. He should be angry, furious. He should be telling Edward all about her deceit and about that pocket watch, how she manipulated them for...whatever she was trying to do.

But he felt none of that. He only felt confused and conflicted.

Ivy never seemed like she was trying to hurt them. All she had done was ask for their help. Sure, she lied about who she was, but from what she had told him, she had her reasons.

"Hey, Brother?"

Edward looked up from his book, his gold eyes peeking over the top. "Yeah?"

"Remember when we were studying Nicholas Flamel's old journals?" Al asked timidly. "Remember? We went to Ashwell to—"

"Yeah, Al, I remember; I was there," he said flippantly. He flipped a page over, his eyes running over the next few sentences. Al knew how Ed felt about the journals. He had been so angry, shouting about yet another false lead, and how it was a waste of time. The only reason he still had the journals was because Al had picked them up from where he had thrown them, determined to donate them to Central Library.

"You know his odd theory—the one about the multiverse— what do you think about it?"

Ed stopped, glancing back at his younger brother. Al could almost feel his scrutinizing gaze piercing through the armor to touch his soul. "What do you mean, 'what do I think about it'?"

"Do you, uh, think there's any truth to it?"

Al felt nervous around his brother for the first time. Edward stared at him unblinkingly with an expression that never been used against him: suspicion.

"Do you think there might actually be separate universes? Different worlds that mirror ours?" He asked again. "And if they do exist, there's a possibility of...people crossing over...those...worlds?"

Ed's brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at his brother. He made a noise similar to a snort and a scoff as he sat up and put his book down beside him. "Al, why are you mentioning this?"

"Uh, no reason!" Al squeaked, busying himself with the book in his hands.

"Al..."

"I was just thinking about it the other day. It's a pretty...intriguing theory," he chuckled nervously. He hoped he didn't sound as suspicious as he thought he did.

Ed stared at him a bit more, his eyes unwavering as he studied his younger brother. Al tried his best not to make eye contact. He knew if they caught eyes, Ed would catch on immediately.

Wait, why was he hiding this? From his own brother? He and Ed shared everything without hesitation. It felt wrong to keep this from him.

Al stared at his armored hands. Wait. Who's to say Ivy was telling the truth? He and Ed disregarded the multiverse theory when they came across it. It was purely philosophical; it had no tangible proof. Ivy could be some sort of stalker, or spy. It had to be the only explanation for the things she knew.

But the pocket watch...there's no possible way she could know about that date. Ed alchemically transmuted his watch so no one but him could open it.

Al saw movement in the corner of his eye. A small hand peeked out and then he saw her deep brown eyes staring dejectedly back at him.

He jumped up. Ed looked up at the sudden noise and raised a brow at his brother.

"I'm just, uh...going to go for a walk."

"Just don't bring back any strays. We already have one to look after," Ed reminded him, looking back down at his book. Al nodded and saw Ivy's cheeks puff up at Ed's remark. He quickly rushed to the door and ushered her back out once he saw her about to open her mouth.

"I'm going to see if Ivy wants to tag along!" Al called. He saw Ed wave him off and he pushed her quickly and quietly out of the common area.

It was dark inside her room and he could barely make her silhouette out. The moonlight from the window was the only thing ensuring he didn't step on her. He reached for the wall, searching for the light switch, and when he found it, light flooded the room.

Ivy squinted into the new light and with a pang of guilt, he saw that she had been crying. Her nose was red and her eyes were puffy.

"We're going to go for a walk," Al told her.

She looked at him in confusion before nodding and reaching for her coat. She slipped the army green jacket on and Al and her left the room. Ed was still reading on the couch and Ivy hid herself from view as she followed Alphonse out of the room.

Once they left the hotel room, they didn't stop until they were safely down the hall and out of ear shot of Ed.

"So what's the verdict?" She asked him, breaking their silence. She was looking down at her feet.

"You had better be telling the truth," he started. She snapped her head up, about to answer when he said, "I haven't told him yet because I believe you."

He saw her take a breath in excitement, but then it deflated, her brows cinching together in confusion. "Wait, what? If you believe me then why didn't you—"

"I don't know!" He exclaimed, exasperated. He put his hands together, playing with his fingers. "I just...I don't know. It sounds—"

"Crazy?"

"Insane!" He agreed, nodding vigorously. She grinned, a mixture of anxiety and amusement in her expression.

"My brother, he's too..." Al struggled to find the words. "Skeptical. He would never believe something like this."

"Then why do you?" She asked.

He looked at her. Her eyes were boring into him, eyes deep and earnest and honest. There was no malice in them, no intention to hurt. They were not the eyes of a liar.

"Your eyes," he answered truthfully.

She blinked and reached up to touch the skin below her eyes as if to confirm they were still there. Her cheeks burned pink as she tore her gaze away from him, staring down the hall behind him to avoid eye contact.

"W-well, I'm just glad you do," she stuttered.

Al wished he could smile at her.

* * *

 ** _*the apron. You know, the thing that Al has tied around his waist? Apron? Smock? Idk man, what do you call that thing?_**

 **Anyhow, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! How was your day? What'd you get? Did you have an awesome dinner? I think Christmas is one of the best holidays ever. Just a lil blip in December where happiness is spread and you give gifts and eat good food and laugh and be merry and all that junk. I'm on my way to my own family dinner, but I had to update before I went, lest I slip into a food coma and forget the chapter I promised. Anywho—**

 **UNTIL NEXT CHAP!**

 ** _(Will be updated again Thursday, 28. Dec. 2017. See you then!)_**


	10. Scolded

**Chapter 9: Scolded**

 **Aka You're Not Supposed to Tell**

 ** _Pssssst. More spastic POV changing. Sorry for the inconvenience_**

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I cracked open one of my eyes and saw the night sky. _I must've fallen asleep,_ I thought, blinking at the stars. I shivered as I sat up, wincing at the pain that settled in my joints from laying down on a park bench for so long. I rubbed my eyes, flinching as I felt how cold my hands were. I breathed onto them to warm them.

I sneezed and rubbed my hands together. I'm freezing.

"There you are."

I jumped at the voice, on my feet in a second, hands up in fists.

I relaxed, but didn't let my guard down when I saw Hughes standing a few feet away from me. He put his hands up in surrender.

"Why the hell are you here?" I snapped, trying to put anger in my voice I didn't have.

He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I should be asking you the same question," he fired back, his tone sharp. "I've been worried sick about you."

I paused, the statement confusing me.

"I've been patrolling the streets for hours looking for you," he continued, walking toward me. I took a step back. He stopped.

"Sorry for wasting your time," I said, trying to keep my voice hard. "Tell Gracia thanks for everything, but I'll be out of your hair now."

Hughes scowled, his eyes flashing in anger. " _Dammit_ , Noah!" I flinched away, surprised at his sudden change. I didn't think he was capable of being angry. "I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, but knock it off!"

I tried to shoot something back but he cut me off again.

"Don't you start with me!" He shouted, finger pointing. "I don't know what kind of things you've had to go through that made you so angry at the military, but you do _not_ get to run off like that and scare me half to death, _do you understand me?"_

A mixture of emotions swirled in my chest. Confusion, guilt, and frustration piled in my gut as he yelled at me.

He marched up to me then and I was too shocked to move away. I shut my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the beating that was bound to come. When he draped something over my shoulders, I flinched, but relaxed upon feeling the fabric over me. I stared up at him with wide eyes.

"You're going to catch a cold if you don't keep warm," he said, his usual warm tone returning.

I pulled the jacket over myself tighter, grateful for the warmth. Then he flicked me in the nose. I recoiled back, clasping a hand over the offended area.

"Don't do that again," he said in that firm tone he had used on Elycia.

I gaped at him, unable to fathom what just happened.

 _I think I just got scolded_.

It was a weird sensation.

"C'mon, let's go home, shall we?" He said, turning and walking away.

I didn't know what else to do but follow.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

Al sat opposite of me on the bed, buzzing with excitement. He had been questioning me nonstop about one thing or another, testing my knowledge. I didn't know if it was because he was genuinely interested or he was still testing me to see if I had been lying. I dutifully answered each one, relieved that most of the questions were universal to both series.

It was funny, seeing him so excited over something. He had also asked a few questions of my own dimension, and a few I had to politely decline answering. I didn't want to overload him with information that might overwhelm him. Facts about the future that might tamper with the past, and the like.

"Yeah, it's small enough to carry in your pocket," I told him, trying to explain the use of cell phones. "And it's sort of like...a library full of information at your fingertips with 24 hour access."

"Wow," he breathed and I wished I could see his face. He was like a little kid, all the curiosity in the world. "I bet Winry would love to take apart one of those things."

I smiled at the wonder in his voice.

"It's so strange how technologically advanced your dimension is. I wonder how far advanced alchemy is," he wondered to himself.

I bit my lip, fiddling with the sleeves of my jacket. "Oh, yeah...about that..."

He turned to me patiently and I felt apprehension at the prospect of explaining that alchemy didn't exist where I came from. Exhaustion hit me like a train. I suddenly felt extremely tired. And incredibly dirty. My clothes may be different, but I still haven't taken a shower from that incident with Ugly.

Wow. Was that really just earlier today?

It felt like days had gone by. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. I've done so much running. And so much crying. I wanted to collapse in bed and sleep for a week.

"Hey, Alphonse?"

"Yes?"

"Is it okay if I take a shower?" I asked. "I promise we'll continue our conversation and tell you everything you wanna know."

He shook his head. "No, no, of course it's okay. Go ahead," he urged and I gratefully smiled at him.

I rummaged through my suitcase I hadn't unpacked yet and grabbed some clothes as I exited the room. I poked my head out, searching for the eldest Elric, and rejoiced as I found he was still in his room. I managed to evade him yet again.

I crept into the bathroom, eagerly anticipating the long-awaited shower.

* * *

XoXo... Noah POV ...XoXo

* * *

The car ride to the apartment was quiet.

"Um..."

Hughes didn't respond. He was probably still pissed at me.

"So..." I started, feeling awkward under the silence. "About earlier, um..."

He didn't move, only kept his eyes trained on the road.

"I'm not used to...trusting...people easily," I reluctantly admitted, still feeling guilty. "From where I come from, people aren't so damn nice. I just...the cops where I'm from don't really...what I'm trying to say is—"

"Noah?"

"Yeah?"

"I forgive you."

He was smiling at the road.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

The grime and dirt had washed from my skin, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't stop seeing my hands stained red. In my panic, I scrubbed my arms and hands until my skin was pink and irritated. It wasn't until my fingers turned into prunes and I started getting lightheaded from the steam did I realize I had been in the shower for far too long.

I dried myself off quickly, not wanting to keep Alphonse waiting for longer than I already had. I changed into some sweats and a t-shirt and skulked out of the bathroom.

I nearly ran back into the shower when I saw Edward, sitting on the sofa. He looked up when he heard the door open and his eyes met mine.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."

Silence.

He cleared his throat, looking very uncomfortable. "How was the walk?" he asked, and it sounded like he forced the question.

I blinked, trying to think of what he meant, when it hit. "Fine," I said quickly.

More silence.

"So, uh, about today," he started. He darted his eyes to a point at the wall opposite him, rubbing the back of his neck. "Today was...I just wanted to say that you, um, did good out there, considering the circumstances."

It looked like the words pained him to speak and I realized he probably never had to be in this position. He was one of those people who gave tough love. He was asking if I was okay, in that weird way of his. He was entirely out of his comfort zone dealing with a girl he had no obligation to. And here I was, worrying him, putting him in harm's way, and lying to his face.

I felt like the scum of the earth.

"I'M SORRY!"

I burst into tears, hiding my face in my hands. He looked pale, looking from me to the door, as if contemplating running away. I wouldn't blame him. I was snotting all over the place; it was probably super gross.

Alphonse, having heard my cry, burst from the room.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I continued on, staring red-faced at Edward.

"F-For what?" He asked.

I thought I could see Al emphatically shaking his head when I blurted out, "For lying to you about everything!"

Through my watery eyes I could see Ed furrowing his brows, confused. I heard Al sigh.

"What does she mean, Al?" He asked slowly, eyeing me like a bomb.

"We were going to tell you when we could make more sense of it," he started and Ed's eyes narrowed.

"Tell me what?" He asked, his voice sharp.

That was when I made my teary confession. I told him everything, unloading all my thoughts and problems out in the open. I told him of how I got here, the earthquake, where I was really from. I even spilled the beans about the series, trying hard to make my babbling coherent enough amongst the tears. He was pacing in the room now, eyes on the floor as he touched his chin with his fist in thought. Alphonse was on the couch opposite me, offering me tissues.

"I never wanted to do anything bad, honest!" I explained pleadingly. "I just want to find Noah and try to get back home."

I wiped my nose with a balled up tissue, feeling embarrassed about my outburst now. I had just had an entire pep talk to myself about not crying, and here I was, breaking down again. It confused me; I was never this sensitive before. Why was I now?

 _Maybe I'm going insane,_ I thought ruefully.

"Brother..."

"I'm thinking," he snapped, still pacing.

I waited with baited breath, stealing a glance at Alphonse. I tried sending an apology through my eyes for spilling the beans so early after we decided not to say anything. He reassuringly patted my knee. It didn't make me feel any better.

Edward stopped. I felt my hands get clammy as he stared at me with unreadable eyes.

"Why am I supposed to believe you?"

I swallowed, trying to form a response to that. "I-I guess you aren't obligated to, but," I stood on shaky legs. "It'd explain this."

I gingerly sped-walked to my room, avoiding Ed's gaze, and ransacked my suitcase for the thing that ultimately convinced Alphonse. I snatched the watch up and hurried back into the common area, holding my hand out to him.

He watched me carefully, putting his hand out, palm up. I dropped it into it.

Upon seeing the watch, his eyes widened. He inspected the state insignia with confusion and clicked it open.

The look on his face was indescribable. He snapped the watch closed, jaw pulled taut. He stared at me with a whirlwind of emotions, eyes darting over my face in search of a reason, an answer.

"Brother," Al cautioned quietly.

"How do you know about this," he spat, his tone calm, but words laced in outrage.

"It's merchandise for your story," I said quickly, fear crawling up my throat. "I know it sounds insane, but I swear I'm telling the truth."

He exploded. "WHAT'S YOUR ANGLE, HUH?!" He closed the distance between us in two steps. He gathered the front of my shirt in his fists, lifting me so I was only an inch from his face.

"Brother!" Al shouted, standing up quickly.

"What do you want?! Money? Intel?!" he shouted enraged. It took all it had in me not to burst into tears all over again. "How long have you been spying on us, huh?!"

"I wasn't spying!" I yelled desperately, tugging at his hands to let go. Alphonse was pulling at his brother's shoulders now.

"Brother, stop!"

"How else would you know then?!" He roared, shaking me.

"BROTHER, STOP!"

He froze at the sound of Al's command.

"Stop," Al pleaded again, voice quiet.

He slowly released the front of my shirt and I jumped away quickly, holding back tears. I smoothed the front of my shirt with shaky hands as I glared at him, trying to mask the hurt and fear. He returned my glare with a frown and instinctively I flinched at seeing it. Upon seeing that, he darted his eyes away, and ran toward the door.

The sound of it slamming ricocheted in my ears.

I felt the tears brimming in my eyes and I swiped them away before they could fall.

Alphonse approached me slowly, hands up, as if I were a frightened animal. "Ivy—"

"Go," I forced out, my voice rough.

He hesitated.

" _Go_ ," I repeated, firmer. I looked into his eyes with what I hoped appeared as strength. "Find him."

He looked distraught. "Will you be okay?" he asked, already leaning toward the door.

"I'll be fine," I lied, though I hoped saying it into existence would make it true. "Go to your brother."

He nodded, relieved, and ran after him.

I was left again with the sound of the slamming door echoing in my ears.

* * *

Alphonse flew down the staircase, taking them two at a time. He felt his mind whirl in all sorts of emotions, but the two that rang clearer than the rest were concern and anger. He was angry at Ivy for not being able to keep her mouth shut and he was angry at Ed for reacting the way he did. Most of all he was filled with worry.

He contemplated briefly which way he would go searching for next, but the moment he tore open the hotel doors, he was met with the back of his brother.

They didn't speak for a moment. Al noticed that in his haste Ed didn't grab his jacket and he saw a breeze ruffle his hair. Al hoped it wasn't cold out; the last thing they needed was him getting sick.

"Do you believe her?"

His voice broke through the quiet. Snapping out of his reverie, Al felt the emotion of anger well up in him. "Yes, I do, and you would have heard so if you didn't blow up like you did," he scolded.

Ed turned to him, wincing at the familiar tone. "I just...it seems so impossible."

Al nodded empathetically. "I know it does, but you're not the only one who's having problems coming to terms with it," he said pointedly. Ed understood the implication completely. "Ivy doesn't understand what's happened any more than you do, but maybe together, we can figure it out."

Ed let the words weigh the quiet. He kicked a stray rock on the sidewalk, watching it hop a few feet away from him. "I'm sorry," he relented, reluctantly.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Al retorted, turning.

Hesitantly, Ed followed.

They rounded up the stairs to the room, Ed grumbling as they went. He was embarrassed about letting his emotions take over him and he didn't want to face her, but he knew if he tried to run, Al would just find him and bring him right back.

All too soon, they reached the hotel room and Alphonse had annoyingly stepped aside to let him take the lead. He huffed. _He_ was supposed to be the older brother, dammit. Nonetheless, he reached for the knob and turned, walking in.

Ivy jumped from the sudden noise, her head bobbing up to stare. Upon seeing him, she glared, pushing herself farther into the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. They stared each other down for a bit and guiltily, he noticed her eyes were rimmed red and more tissues bunched up on the table.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she replied back.

Silence.

Al filed in from behind him, pointedly nudging him forward as he entered and closed the door behind him. Ed cleared his throat, reaching up to scratch the back of his head.

"I, um, shouldn't have reacted the way I did," he grimaced, feeling himself recoil at the thought of apologizing. He was justified in his emotions, so he wasn't completely in the wrong.

She only stared at him.

"I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions," he said, feeling the words come easier if he didn't look at her. "I'm...sorry."

Silence.

He found it within himself to look at her and found her unflinching gaze still on him. She unfolded herself from her fetal position, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm not a spy," she stated, her tone sharp. He was vaguely surprised at the look of annoyance on her face. She had been so uptight, trying so hard to be polite to them both, him especially.

"I know," he said then, finding it true. A klutzy, emotional girl like her could have never been associated with espionage and he felt shame at accusing her of being one.

"I...I wasn't..." She knitted her brows together, trying to find her words. Her voice became softer. "I wasn't trying to hurt you. I never would dream of it."

"I know," he said again, watching her face.

She looked at a point on the floor, just before Ed's feet. "I don't know why I'm here," she whispered, her voice thick and wobbly, like she was trying not to cry.

"I know," he said once more, taking a few steps forward. He squared his shoulders and announced confidently, "But we'll find out. There has to be a reason why."

She nodded.

He could feel Al's approving gaze and he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Seriously. He was supposed to be the one scolding _him_ , not the other way around.

"So run me through this again," he said, collapsing onto the sofa across from her. He could tell this was going to be a long night.

She seemed to perk up, a smile threatening to appear at the corners of her mouth, but just as it appeared, it disappeared as she thought about what she was about to say. "It's hard to explain," she said and Ed felt himself wanting to sigh.

"Try," he urged.

She took a tissue that was lying in her lap and started picking at it, tearing off tiny bits. "I'm from a different dimension—" she started but Ed waved her off.

"Got that part. What about how you got here?"

She paused, tearing off more tiny pieces of tissue in her hand. "I...don't really know. There was a man, he was shouting about how he heard the truth, and then the earthquake happened."

"'Heard the truth'?" Ed wondered to himself.

"Then, I don't know! I grabbed Noah and then this weird purple lightning happened and next thing I know I was getting pulled through this transmutation circle in the floor," she said.

At the mention of 'purple lightning' both Ed and Al glanced at each other. There was only one other time they had seen such a thing. It was that faithful night all those years ago. He felt his left leg whine in an echo of pain long ago felt and he put his hand on his knee to stifle it. Al also reflexively stiffened at the memory.

"What happened after you got pulled through the floor? Did you see anything strange?" Ed asked hesitantly.

He saw her bunch the tissue that now lied in a shredded heap in her hand. She opened her mouth to say something, and then shut it.

"Y-yes," she said, looking away. He leaned forward, waiting for the rest of the sentence, but it never came.

Ed was grateful Al was there to know what to say. "Ivy, you have to tell us. We can't help if you don't tell us anything," Al told her gently.

"I-I know but..."

She bit her lip, trying to grasp more tissue to tear apart. She frowned when she realized she had no more paper to shred in her fingers. She was silent for a few moments, debating something in her mind. The brothers waited.

She sighed, slumping her shoulders, seeming to have lost the argument in her head. "I saw the Gate," she mumbled.

If Ed hadn't watched her carefully, he might've not have caught what she said. But he had. He felt the familiar coil of dread fill his stomach at the mention of the place. He was briefly shocked that she knew of it, but he remembered what she had said about his 'story.' She knew about it because he did. Then, she had the misfortune of seeing it firsthand.

The man who was supposedly shouting about 'hearing the truth' clearly meant the real thing.

"What happened there?" He asked, preparing himself for the worst. There was no way she had seen Truth and made it out unscathed. What had been her price?

"I don't know," she said, defeated. "I can't remember. The memory is all fuzzy and every time I try to remember it, my head hurts like hell, and the images get even blurrier."

A memory wipe. That had happened to Alphonse too.

"Why do you think you ended up there?" Al asked.

She shrugged, her shoulders slumping further down. "I don't know!" She exclaimed, frustration seeping into her voice. "It wasn't supposed to be real. It was just some ani—story!"

Ed felt hurt rise in his chest at her statement and so did Al, though he tried not to show it.

After realizing what she had said, her eyes widened and she gasped, holding her hands to her mouth. "Wait! Oh my god, I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I didn't mean that, I swear!"

"It's okay," Ed lied, trying to dismiss her, but she shook her head emphatically.

"No; no, it wasn't," she pressed, looking between the brothers frantically. "It's not just a story; it's your _lives_ I'm talking about. That was incredibly insensitive of me to say, and I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Ivy," Al said reassuringly. "We know what you meant."

She looked at him much like a puppy who had been kicked. "I'm sorry," she repeated again, sounding ashamed. "I just...I never thought it would be real."

Ed tried to not feel put off, but he couldn't help it. People have read his life and all of his hardships for _fun._ People read about all his anguish, of all his pain, and wrote it off as fiction.

He frowned, suddenly angry at whatever sick person had the audacity to publish his life and release it for entertainment. He was _real_ dammit! He was a real person with a real life and it wasn't their place to ruin his privacy like that. He felt violated. He felt sick.

He stood, fuming. Both Ivy and Al looked at him.

"I'm going to bed," he announced, trying to keep his voice calm. He marched to his room and without meaning to, slammed the door shut.

Ivy and Alphonse watched the door.

Al saw the hurt on Ivy's face and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Ivy. He just needs to sleep it off and process all the information."

"Okay," she said dejectedly, still staring at the door. "I'm sorry..."

Al decided to ignore her apology. "Get some sleep. It's been a long day."

She nodded sadly, standing. A few tissue shreds fell from her lap and on the way to her room, she tossed the ball of paper into the wastebasket. She didn't slam the door, but Al felt the emotion just the same.

How had things become such a mess?

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

" _..._ You are exactly what is needed _."_

 _My head swirled at the amount of information I was given. What in the actual fuck was it talking about?_

 _It seemed to know what I was thinking because it was grinning again. "_ You have already done something that I did not expect. I look forward to seeing what else you do, Noah Shasta _."_

 _The Gate behind the being began to open, the same gray eye appearing amidst the darkness. I heard that sound of dragging stone and I looked behind me to see the door behind me opening slowly, arms and hands the color of pitch darkness wiggling out from the crack of the doors. Instinctively, I began running, but before I could make a step of progress, I was pulled off my feet and landed face first on the ground below me._

 _I looked back and saw that two hands had wrapped themselves around my ankle and was now pulling me toward them. I tried kicking at the hands to let me go but only more grabbed at my shoes, legs, and traveling upwards. I saw parts of me dissipating in the air and I knew I should feel pain, but the shock froze me in place. The hands' grips tightened until more of my body began disappearing into dust._

"This is going to be so _interesting_."

I bolted upright, my heart racing. Darkness. I was there. I was in it. I was being swallowed, chewed, and someone was screaming—who was screaming?!—

I squinted. I could make out boxes, a dresser.

I was in bed.

I felt my muscles relax and I grabbed a fistful of the blanket to steady my shaking hands. _It was just a nightmare,_ I thought to myself, willing my heart to slow down.

Somehow, it didn't feel like a dream.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I peeled open my eyelids, my gaze fixing on a point in the ceiling. It was a dreamless sleep, and despite the aching in my body and the overwhelming exhaustion that greeted me like a familiar jacket, I was thankful. I pushed myself up and winced when I had jostled my right arm, the wound still stinging in pain.

I threw my feet over the side of the bed, leaning down to get the discarded suitcase and put it on the bed. As I rummaged through for my outfit, I heard an enraged shout.

"What the hell do you _mean_ you're in Central?!"

It was Ed. Memories from last night filled my head and I winced upon remembering. I had been so careless with my words, not only revealing something that was meant to be a secret, but also in managing to do the one thing I tried avoiding: hurting the brothers. The image of Ed's hurt expression flashed in my mind and I tore through my suitcase, trying to forget about it.

I had just managed to pull my head through a black t-shirt when a knock tapped on the door.

"Come in," I called, fitting my arms through the sleeves. I grimaced as my right arm complained again from the movement.

The door opened and it was Alphonse. He poked his head in and I noticed he had to hunch over slightly to fit in the doorway. "There's a slight change in plans," he had started when I heard Ed curse as he slammed the phone down on the table.

"Just let me put on some jeans, and I'll be right out," I told him, smiling his way. He nodded and closed the door. I grabbed the pair of denim and rolled my sweats off, chucking the pajamas in the suitcase. I pulled the pants up over my legs and after buttoning them, I went to close the suitcase, grabbing it as I went.

I emerged from my room to see Ed with an irritated expression, arms crossed and scowling. Al looked to be trying to placate him, and failing.

"What's wrong?" I asked, closing the door behind me.

Al turned and I think I heard a sound come from him before Ed cut him off, gold eyes flashing. "Colonel Bastard transferred," he stated with a huffed annoyance. "Which means I'm going to have to move dorms and deal with _new_ old military assholes. Not to mention he's of _course_ demanding to see you immediately, which means we have to haul ass and get moving."

I had been listening empathetically until the mention of me. I felt my heart begin to race and the palms of my hands felt slick against the handle of my suitcase. "Wait, _what_?"

"Colonel Mustang wants you to come in with us," Alphonse explained. The sentence made my eyes widen. He seemed to sense the dread piling in my gut because he then went, "It's not as bad as you think, really. He just wants a report from you about the chimera incident."

I felt some of the panic lessen as I realized it was only about that.

"He might also ask you about your...situation...as well. Brother had explained as much as he could over the phone, but didn't get to finish before he was ordered to come immediately."

And the panic returned.

I whirled on Ed. "You _told_ him?" I asked, my voice reaching an octave higher than normal.

Ed flinched at the high-pitched shriek of mine and fixed me a look of confusion. "Well, yeah, I had to. There was no way you could just walk into HQ with no form of identification," he said. "You don't exactly have an ID since you're not technically from Amestris and you can't say you're a foreigner because you're not exactly from _here."_ He paused, as if thinking. His brows furrowed. "I mean, I suppose you can lie, but even then you don't have legal documentation allowing you to be in the country. They'll think you're trying to immigrate illegally and arrest you."

All of this information swirled in my head emptily. The thought had never occurred to me that Amestris was an actual country with actual government that enforced actual laws. I suppose that was meant to be obvious, but it wasn't something that I put much thought into. Nor was it something I thought I'd have to deal with, naively.

I mentally scolded myself. What did I think I was going to do? Just waltz into HQ, a government building, and not be questioned? Furthermore, how was I going to go about asking for help to find Noah when I was 1. A complete stranger and 2. Not even a person that had _existed_ before I wound up here? What was I thinking?

 _Well,_ I thought guiltily _,_ glancing between the two Elric brothers. I had expected Ed and Al to take care of all that for me, like a spoiled kid. I thought that they would handle all the messy parts so I can continue my search for Noah and finding a way back home freely. _How selfish,_ I thought, disgusted with myself. They had enough on their plates; they were _not_ going to put all that on hold just to babysit me.

I steeled myself, taking a secret deep breath in. I trained my eyes back on Edward's, my hands clenching into fists. "Okay; what do I have to do?"

He searched my face for a moment before speaking. He crossed his arms over his chest. "When we arrive in Central, I'll escort you through the gates. My rank will grant you clearance in. When we get to Colonel Bastard, he's going to question you about the chimera incident and you'll tell him about everything you experienced." He had said that last part a little guiltily, looking away from me as he did so. I tried to ignore the look of pity that flashed on his face, and nodded.

"Then, he might ask you to explain to him your situation," he continued, looking back at me. He sent me an apologetic, sheepish smile. "After that, I'm afraid it's out of my hands. We can discuss getting you papers for a working visa or a permanent residency card, but it would be up to him; I'm not a high enough ranking officer," he said with a grimace. "I can vouch for you, but other than that, there's not much I can do."

I let the information digest as I stared at a point on the hardwood floor. I won't let that permanent residency card live up to its name. I'll be out of here, Noah in tow, as quickly as possible.

"Okay," I said, looking back up. I set my jaw and took a step forward. "Off to Central we go."

* * *

 **Phew. The angst.**

 **I'm very pleased with how this chapter came out. This was the very few chapters I hadn't edited before publishing and I wrote a few of my favorite sentences in here. ie " _he felt his left leg whine in a pain long ago felt..."_ that was one of my absolute favorite pieces of imagery I had written. Doesn't seem like much, I know, but god I remember being so proud at how I crafted that sentence lol**

 **Also I'm gonna give a shoutout to** xXSpades231Xx **for binging this entire story so far and for making me actually laugh out loud for calling Noah a moody asshole LMAO Yaaas call him out! Trust me, I feel the same way sometimes! But alas, he's my emo son; gotta love him. My flawed, emo son haha. He's got a lot of growing up to do, no doubt**

 **Anyhow, if you liked the story, like what you've read, or even like me, please review! Thank you so much for reading—**

 **Until next chap!**


	11. Central Feelings

**Happy New Year, everybody!**

 **THANK YOU TO MY REVIEWERS~:** xXSpades231Xx, fishy7073, kittybee1904, lazypika, Blazingfyres, eedakon, Guest, TetraForce214, dreamwithinadream262, and 300PASTA

 **THANK YOU anyone who has followed or favorited so far.**

 **And THANK _YOU_ for reading this. **

**I appreciate every read, review, and fav/follow. Thank you all for sticking around and reading the adventures of Noah and Ivy and I only hope that you stay because I have so much planned and I'm insanely proud of it. I hope you all acheive what goals you set yourself, but at the same time, don't be too hard on yourselves because even if you only accomplish ONE thing, that's still one more thing you did that you didn't before! I appreciate every single one of you.**

 **Here's to 2018!**

 **Anyhow, here's the chapter (also, yes, I changed my username. MyNameIsNK, previously Nikkome Konno)**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Central Feelings**

 **Aka: You're Not—?!**

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I nursed the mug of coffee in my hands as I stared at a chip in the dining table. My leg was bouncing as I pondered, the chair getting unbearably uncomfortable. Hughes had told me we were to see his friend today and mentioned it being in 'Central HQ.' The concept of me entering a military facility ate at me last night and I felt a yawn creep up and out of my mouth.

I took a sip of the caffeine and had to suppress the look of disgust on my face. I hated coffee. But as much as I hated the gross bean juice, I knew I needed the energy. I took another drink, unable to contain the obvious distaste in my expression.

Hughes laughed and I looked up at the sound. He was smiling sympathetically at me, resting his chin on his hand. "If you don't like it, you don't have to drink it."

"I know," I said quietly, pushing the mug away from me gratefully. I didn't admit that the gross taste was the only thing distracting me from the thought about where we're going.

"It'll be fine," he reassured me.

I saw the hesitant expression on his face and decided to ignore it, grabbing the mug and taking another sip. I hadn't told him why I hated the military and I wasn't planning on it. There are some things I'd like to keep private, especially since I wasn't going to be able to keep any more secrets by the end of the day. Roy Mustang was going to question me and whether I liked it or not, I knew I had to tell him everything I told Hughes. The thought of relying on some military rat made me frown.

"Welp," Hughes announced, standing with a grunt, "We should get going. He's probably set up in his new office now."

I nodded, trying to hide my glum expression.

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

We once again boarded the train, but this time at a less annoying hour. The train bustled with life, filled to the brim with families, business men and women, and the like. Conversation buzzed around aimlessly and I tried to catch the few tidbits I could hear and focus on them. None of the conversations interested me. I tried staring out the window and watch Bremen fade into a tiny speck in the distance, but when the city turned into empty plains, I lost interest and resorted to messing with the pocket watch in my pocket to keep my hands active.

I tried to keep myself busy, to keep my mind off the inevitable, but as soon as my mind wandered, it went right back to what I was trying to avoid. It especially didn't help that we were only a couple hours away.

Ashwell was a southern city and to my understanding, pretty far down. The way the train stations were set out was that you'd have to travel inward, before traveling outward, so we were closer to Central City than I thought. We were only two hours away and every time I remembered that, my stomach flipped in on itself. At least when we were on the way to East City, I had one more day to gather my wits. This was all happening too fast.

Ed had passed out, like usual, and I envied how easily he could fall asleep. I wished I could just knock out, not _think,_ and leave my worries for future Ivy to deal with. I watched him sleep, sprawled out on the train seat, a hand hooked under his shirt and revealing some skin.

Seeing him so motionless and so carefree made me antsy and my leg started bouncing up and down to release the nervous energy. I tapped my finger on my thigh in sync.

"Are you okay?"

I blinked and looked up at the voice in surprise. It was Alphonse who had asked me the question. He was looking down at me, head cocked to the side.

"Oh," I said dumbly, stopping my annoying movements. I stuck my hands in my pockets before they could start their nervous tapping again. "Yeah; yeah, I'm okay. I'm just..." I sighed and shook my head. "Never mind. It's nothing." I had to stop piling my problems on the brothers. They weren't my therapists and I didn't want them thinking I was just one crisis after another.

Al seemed unconvinced, but I wasn't going to give in, and I think he sensed that. "If you say so," he said and I ignored the look he was still giving me.

 _In just two hours, I was going to be face to face with Roy Mustang._

The thought made my stomach do the flipping thing and I desperately tried keeping my mind off of it, especially since it was making me a bit nauseous. In two short hours, I'm going to be meeting yet another character from the series and I knew that with Mustang came his entire crew. Seeing Ed and Al in person and not drawn was jarring enough; now I was going to meet even more characters I had invested time into watching and admiring.

I glanced at both brothers in the corner of my eye. Alphonse was once again reading—though I noticed it was a different book—turning a page over in his fingertips and Edward was snoring. The two actions were so human and real I wanted to laugh. It was hard wrapping my mind around the fact that not only had I held conversations with, but was also traveling with people I had only previously seen drawn. People who I never thought existed. People I _knew_ everything about.

It was all so eerie.

It felt like I was cheating, almost. I was supposed to get to know people gradually, understand them through conversations and time. I got to skip all of it. If something like this had happened in real life—avoiding all the awkward talks and uncertainty—in order to get to know someone, I thought I'd be overjoyed. It was hard for me to make friends. It was entirely too difficult to put myself out there and measure when to slowly confide in someone and vice versa.

I shook my head. _I'm not their friend,_ I thought sadly, the words cutting into my heart. _I'm just some girl that singlehandedly threw their world upside down._

Sadness gripped me as I came to terms with that statement. Years ago when I had watched them on the screen and read about their journey, I was mesmerized. Two boys who had lost everything gave it all they had to get back what they lost. Their relationship and love was unconditional and I had read in awe of all the friends they had made on the way. Their determination, bravery, and kindness was inspiring and through the pages I read and the episodes I watched, I yearned to befriend them. I longed to go on that adventure side-by-side and become something worthwhile.

I don't know what I was thinking. Me, friends with Ed and Al? The thought was so naive it was laughable. In the short while I was with them, it felt like we had gone through so much together. We shared laughs and tears (though they were mine) and even survived some danger. There was some small hope that it was enough to be considered friends, but I knew it was stupid. I clenched my jaw, feeling angry tears form at myself and I fought them back.

It didn't matter that I had read about them; they were _real._ They weren't characters on a screen anymore. They were real human beings and they deserved to be treated as such. People didn't offer friendship so easily and I shouldn't expect it.

I took a deep breath. _In two hours I was going to meet Roy Mustang,_ I thought. _I have to get ready._

For the rest of the train ride, I mulled over my story in my head, determined not to sound like an idiot when I met another one of my childhood heroes.

* * *

XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo

* * *

Central HQ was a large, gaudy building. It was elevated, taller than the rest of the buildings in the city, and you can see it from anywhere you are in Central. I bet it was designed that way intentionally. Whoever designed it must have had the smallest dick to have this much of a inferiority complex to make it unnecessarily huge and noticeable.

Hughes had changed into this blue military uniform and it was weird to see him in such. Usually he wore black slacks and a purple button up. He seemed restricted, somehow, by all the extra clothing. However, he moved naturally, as if it were a second skin, and I followed him as he led me up the grand staircase.

When we reached the top, two guards held position frigidly, with two rifles in arms. Upon seeing Hughes in their same uniform, they didn't move an inch. Seeing me, however, they sprung to action.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes," one of the two soldiers started. "You can't—"

"This boy is accompanying me to meet with Colonel Roy Mustang," he cut them off. "If there are any issues, you can take it up with the Flame Alchemist."

At the mention of the name, both soldiers stared at each other with a mixture of confusion and fear. "O-of course, Lieutenant Colonel sir, we didn't mean—"

"At ease," Hughes commanded and they stopped. He looked back at me and in a quieted whisper, told me, "Ignore them. As long as you're with me, you'll be fine."

I nodded, eyeing the angry looks the soldiers were giving me. I suppressed the urge to tell them to fuck off, in respect for Hughes. We walked through the gate.

There was a large front yard, hedges leading in front to the doors of the building. Inside the four walls I became aware it was built like a fortress rather than a building and I saw other officers on the track that ran around the front yard. Someone was yelling— I presume the drill sergeant— and I saw the group of men running. We passed them by and walked through the front doors.

The inside was plain, with gray walls and linoleum floors. I spotted a large painting with a man on it. He was middle aged, with dark hair and kind eyes, and a killer eyepatch. Underneath it read 'Fuehrer King Bradley' and I felt my gut drop. Fuehrer? As in...the Holocaust?

"Excuse me miss," Hughes started, leaning onto the front desk. A tired looking brunette regarded him lazily. "We're here to see Colonel Roy Mustang."

"Name?" She asked, pulling out a binder.

"Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes," he recited and he waited patiently for her to flip through the pages.

"Ah, I see, sir," she said, looking up. She dropped the binder in front of him. "Please sign here." She handed him a pen and he did so. "Colonel Mustang's office will be on the second floor, east wing. His is the third door on the right."

"Thank you kindly," he stated. He turned to me and gestured to follow. I did so.

We walked in silence as Hughes led me down hallways and stairwells. I tried memorizing it but everything looked the same. Gray walls, linoleum floors. It was boring everywhere.

Soon we came across a large wooden double-door with a plaque beside it. ROY MUSTANG was engraved into the metal in large letters. I stopped a few steps behind Hughes, feeling strangely nervous for what was to happen. He didn't get the memo and pushed the doors open.

"Hey guys!" he exclaimed happily, stomping in. I reluctantly trudged after him.

Inside was less boring than that of the hallways, with creme carpet and green walls. Boxes littered the area, evidence to how little they've moved in. I felt myself freeze as I saw not just one, but multiple desks. There was a row of them down the middle, facing toward each other and crammed together. Another solitary desk was at the back, next to the door, empty. Five in all. Three men were sat in the cluster, one desk left vacant.

I smelt the familiar stench of tobacco and eyed the guy at the very front, leaning his chair as far back as it could go with his legs rested on the top. He had just lighted up, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he turned to the noise.

"Major Hughes, what a surprise," he said, his words somehow not disturbed from the cigarette in his mouth. "What brings you here?"

"It's _Lieutenant Colonel_ now, Havoc," Hughes said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. It seemed like this happened often.

The guy— Havoc, I guess —smiled with an easy, laidback nonchalance. "Sorry, sir. Old habits die hard."

Another of the men peeked around his desk. His was behind Havoc's. "Who's the kid, sir?" He asked. He had a shock of red hair that was smothered in so much hair gel it glistened in the light, with the sides of his head buzzed.

"This is Noah Shasta," Hughes introduced, stepping aside to show me. Both Havoc and the hair gel guy stared at me. I vaguely saw a head pop up from the desk across the redhead. Dark eyes hidden behind large glasses peeked at me from over a hunk of metal.

I felt awkward under the staring, but I forced myself to appear nonchalant. I stuck a hand in my pocket, the other one out in a lazy wave. "Hey."

"Sir, why is—"

"Where's Roy?" Hughes cut one of them off, looking from one side to the other, a hand shielding his eyes from the harsh fluorescent lights. "And Riza?"

Havoc jabbed a finger behind him, gesturing to the door at the far end of their room. "In his office. The Lieutenant is there too, making sure he's not setting fire to his paperwork again."

Setting fire to his paperwork?

 _Again_?

"Gotcha," Hughes grinned, nodding a thanks at Havoc. He grabbed a hold of my arm, hauling me behind him. I could barely keep up with his quick large steps. He dramatically burst through the door again, his voice jumping to a shout. "ROY-BUDDY, GOOD TO SEE YA!"

The door slammed shut behind me.

I heard a sigh. "Maes. You're early," a voice said dryly.

Hughes had let go of my arm and I stepped out from behind him to see who this Roy Mustang guy was once and for all. As soon as I saw his face, I felt my brows cinch together. _I know him,_ I thought, staring at the man who sat behind the desk.

The man raised a brow at me as he saw me and we made eye contact. His eyes were as dark as his hair and we stared at each other as Hughes made his way to his desk. His face was familiar and it bugged me.

"You're a sight for sore eyes as always, First Lieutenant," Hughes said cheerily and I took my eyes off of Roy Mustang long enough to see a woman who stood behind him. She was blonde, her hair pulled up in a hair clip, with piercing brown eyes. She nodded at Hughes and I tried my hardest not to check her out, though it wouldn't matter if I had. She was wearing the same blue military uniform as the rest of everyone and the bulky blue garments hid her figure completely. She was beautiful, in that quiet, mature sort of way. She glanced at me briefly and I flitted my eyes back up to her face before she figured out what I was doing. I always had a thing for blondes.

Roy Mustang cleared his throat loudly, making me train my eyes back on him. He looked vaguely irritated and moved some binders Hughes had knocked over when he sat on top of his desk.

"Do you mind explaining why you're here?" He snapped. "I have a lot of work to do to settle into Central."

Hughes grinned. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon. I'm here to drop off the kid I was talking to you about."

"Oh?" He asked, glancing back at me, as if he wasn't just staring me down a few moments ago. "That's him?"

Hughes nodded. "I'll leave you to it. I'm afraid I don't think I'll be much help with his dilemma."

I snapped my head to him. "You're leaving?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. The betrayal started to boil again.

He sent me a reassuring smile. "I'll be right here in HQ Command. I have to talk to a few people and I'll be right back." When I kept staring at him, he sighed. "It won't take more than thirty minutes. I promise."

I clenched my jaw, trying to calm myself down. Hughes was a man of his word. If anything happened, I know I could trust him. I nodded, flitting my eyes back to Roy Mustang who looked at me curiously. "Okay."

Hughes' grand grin returned. "Alrighty, he's all yours, Roy. Take it easy on him." He hopped down from the desk and made his way over to me. Before he left, he took hold of my shoulder and squeezed. "Roy's my best friend. You can trust him," he whispered in my ear. I watched him as he waved goodbye and exited.

He slammed the door as he left.

"So, you're Noah Shaster, right?" he asked.

" _Shasta,"_ I corrected, trying to hide the annoyance in my voice.

He smirked. "Apologies," he said flippantly. He gestured to the two couches in front of him. "Sit."

I hesitantly made my way to one of the couches and fell down into it. It was _real_ leather and incredibly nice, though I wouldn't admit it. It was soft and I felt myself sink into it.

"Maes told me you have an interesting origin story," he began, getting right down to business. He folded his hands together. "Care to elaborate?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, glancing at the blonde Hughes referred to as 'First Lieutenant'. Mustang saw and waved his hand dismissively. "First Lieutenant Hawkeye is my right hand man and personal adjutant. Whatever is said to me can be entrusted with her."

She nodded and I pretended to know what 'adjutant' meant when I said, "Fine." I cleared my throat. "What did Hughes tell you?"

"Just that whatever it is may be alchemical," he said. "Though he was very vague, which is very smart if what you say has any...sensitive...information." I nodded, trying to sift through the faces I know trying to figure out where I've seen him from. He seemed to catch on. "Trying to place me?" He asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"I know you."

"You and the rest of the country," he said smugly. "I'm one of the more well known state alchemists in Amestris. I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard of me."

Hearing his arrogance made me want to wipe his shit-eating smirk right off his smug face. Cocky military bastards.

"Never heard of you," I said, leaning back into the couch.

"Is that so?"

"Couldn't have, seeing as I'm not from here."

He raised an eyebrow but otherwise tried hiding his piqued interest. "A foreigner?" He mused, "You don't look foreign."

"I'm from the other side of the Gate."

Mustang's face faltered. I tried to hide my glee at having broken his poker face.

"There's another side of it?" He asked. His voice was strained, but even.

I scratched the back of my head, realizing the weight of my statement. I hadn't meant to say it so bluntly; I just wanted to throw him off his game. At least it was said, now I don't have to beat around the bush trying to figure out my words. "I mean, I came from one side and was spit out the other, so your guess is as good as mine," I told him, glancing at the Lieutenant who stared at Mustang with confusion.

"What is 'the Gate'?" She asked.

Mustang leaned back in his chair, cupping his chin with a gloved hand. There was some sort of design on the back of it and I tried to make out what it was but he put his hand down before I got a good look at it. "It's where alchemists end up when they perform the taboo."

Her eyes widened and she looked at me with concern. "This boy...?"

I felt the judging stares and crossed my arms defensively. "I don't know what you two are going on about, but what do you mean by 'taboo'?"

They both looked at me like I was insane.

"Human transmutation," Mustang said.

"Human trans-wha?" I shook my head. "Look, I don't know what the hell you guys think I did, but I didn't _do_ anything. I was just chilling out with Ivy when all of a sudden this homeless guy came in, shouting about the 'Truth' or whatever, and then this earthquake happened. Next thing I know, Ivy and I are getting pulled into the ground and I end up here."

His eyes narrowed. "You and who?"

The look he was giving me made me suspicious. "Ivy."

"Ivy," he repeated, as if testing the name on his lips, "That's the friend Hughes was telling me you were looking for?"

"Maybe. What of it?" I asked carefully.

He leaned forward, the poker face returning and a sly smirk spreading on his face. "Would you say Ivy was the one responsible for all this?"

I sat up, eyes narrowing. "I don't think I like what you're implying."

"Out of the two of you, would you say she would have more knowledge of how you two arrived here?" He asked.

I balled my hands into fists. "Typical military rat," I spat. He raised an eyebrow. "So eager to place the blame on someone."

A smirk grew on his face. "Who said I was blaming anyone?"

"If you so much as lay a _finger_ on her, I swear I'll—"

"You'll what?" he cut me off. I glared at him. "From my understanding, you're here for help in finding this Ivy, are you not?"

I was silent.

"I mean, that _is_ why you're here? Why Hughes asked for my assistance?" He continued. His smirk was almost a grin. "Hughes is a dear friend of mine. I, of course, help my friends."

I wanted to wipe that stupid grin right off his smug face. He only continued to smile at me.

"Lieutenant," he announced suddenly. The blonde stood straight.

"Sir?"

"I want you and the rest of the crew to send feelers out. Look for..." He looked at me again. "What was her name?"

"Ivy Thompson," I seethed through my teeth.

"Ivy Thompson," he repeated to her, "Finding this girl is top priority. I'm sure Hughes already has a profile for her, so send Falman out to get it."

She saluted. "Yes, sir." I watched her as she walked, closing the door behind her.

I turned back to Mustang. "You piss me off."

He barked out a laugh. "Is that any way to treat someone who is trying to help?" I glared at him. He returned my glare with unreadable eyes. "My subordinates are the best in the country. Something tells me we'll find her soon."

* * *

XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo

* * *

I stared at the plaque that read ROY MUSTANG with apprehension. Ed turned to me. "Wait here while I report in."

Relief bloomed in my chest at the prospect of waiting outside. I nodded vigorously.

"We won't be long," Alphonse told me as they walked in.

"Take your time!" I called, positively beaming. The doors closed.

I leaned against the wall, trying to still my heart that was hammering its way in my chest. Anything that prolonged my meeting with Mustang was fine by me.

Suddenly, the door opened again. I expected Ed or Al, or anyone, really. But the moment I saw the black wavy hair and those forest green eyes, my heart jumped out of my chest.

 _No way._

"Noah!" I exclaimed.

I leapt forward, unable to contain the emotions that were threatening to spill out of my entire body. I wrapped my arms around his torso, burying my face in his chest. The tears sprang to my eyes immediately and I tried choking back sobs.

"I can't believe it's you! I can't believe it," I murmured, tightening my grip. His arms came easily around me, wrapping me in a warm embrace.

"I can't believe it's you, either," he said gently, squeezing my body. I felt him rest his head on the top of mine. "You found me."

"I found you," I repeated, a smile spreading over my face. I reluctantly untangled myself from his arms, looking up into his face. He smiled at me as I beamed up at him. "What are you doing here?"

He looked at me in questioning then, cocking his head to the side slightly. "To pick you up for Prom, duh."

"What?"

Suddenly everything changed. His hair was gelled back up into the neat style it was when I had first met him and we were no longer in the hallway of Central HQ. We were in a large ballroom, the lights dimmed and streamers and balloons decorating the walls. A soft melody played in the background and I noticed Noah head-to-toe in a nice black suit. His tie was red and I realized in a shock I was in the nicest dress I have ever worn. It was red and formfitting, the high neckline adorned in gold accents. He drifted toward me, gently taking my hand and wrapping the other arm around my waist, resting his other hand on my lower back. We gently swayed to the song.

"Hey, kid." My attention was dragged to my left, where I saw Edward Elric. He wore his usual black getup, but it suited him nicely. He reached out to me, a hand outstretched. He gave a sly smirk in Noah's direction. "It's my turn for a dance." I was suddenly spun out of Noah's arms into Edward's and my balance faltered. Ed caught me easily, dipping me back. His golden eyes flitted down to my lips and his smirk made butterflies erupt in my stomach—

"Kid!"

Something pushed my shoulder and I blinked slowly. My vision cleared to see honey irises.

"Wake up, we're almost there," Edward told me.

I was on the train.

I sat up, cringing at the way my neck was bent against the windowsill. I rolled it to release the tension, but it just complained in response. I must've fallen asleep.

"What were you dreaming about?" Alphonse asked me.

"Yeah, you were making some really weird noises," Edward said.

Looking into his golden irises made the dream flash back to me. Heat rushed to my cheeks and I turned away quickly, staring out the window. "N-nothing!" I squeaked, looking out the window.

I could see Edward smirk in the corner of my eye.

"Oh, really?" he drawled, his smirk growing. "So what you were talking about in your sleep was nothing?"

I snapped my head to him. "I was what now?" I asked, my voice rising two notes higher. "W-what was I saying?"

He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You said it was nothing, so there's no point in telling you."

"Ed, c'mon, what did I say?"

"No, no, it's fine. Not important."

"Ed, you jerk! Just tell me!"

"Fat chance! Just go back to drooling."

"Drool—? I WAS NOT!"

"You definitely were."

"SH-SHUT UP! AT LEAST I DON'T SNORE LIKE AN OLD MAN!"

"You tryna start something, kid?"

"I'M THE SAME AGE AS YOU, YOU-YOU-YOU—" I fumbled, trying to come up with an adequate comeback, " _SHRIMP_!"

His response was immediate. "WHO YOU CALLING A PINT-SIZED MICRO SEA ORGANISM?!"

Both of us were too busy arguing to see Alphonse sighing and shaking his head.

* * *

Central was so much different than I expected it to be. I had imagined San Francisco, or New York, with tall corporate buildings and masses of people flying by on the sidewalks. I had conjured up busy streets, honking horns, a muggy sky, and smoke-tinged air. Central was none of those things.

The pavement was cobblestone and the road was relatively empty, save for the few taxis and occasional cars that would amble by noisily. It was strange seeing the old design. It was crude and bulky and nothing I was familiar with. Seeing the cars somehow solidified the fact I was in the past, in year 1915, though it should have already registered in my head. I figured since cars were so new, not many owned them yet.

I followed Edward and Alphonse, a few steps behind, taking in my surroundings. They didn't seem to mind the silence and kept trudging along.

I watched as my feet ate up the cobblestone and marveled at the old architecture of the buildings. They were not the square, boxy, and crowded structures I was accustomed to. They were triangular, wooden, showing the underlying framework on the outside of the building that was sure to be in between the walls. _Victorian_? I thought. I stole a glance at the blonde head before me. _Or is it Edwardian?_

I smirked to myself at the cheesy pun.

Each building that didn't appear to be a store also held distance between them, amassing space and land, with alleys in the gaps. Back home, everything was within arm's length of each other, and it was only in suburban areas that you had any sort of land separating you from your neighbor; sometimes yards were non-existent, even. I peered into the short distance, eyeing a large white building in the distance.

It was entirely different from the style of the city around me. It was square, tall, and I saw marble pillars holding it up. _That must be HQ_ , I thought, and the familiar coil of anxiety unraveled in my tummy all over again.

All too soon, we arrived at the steps that led into the military headquarters. Edward and Alphonse kept on and I hadn't realized I had dragged so far behind. I guess I was still trying to prolong the meeting. The staircase was wide and long, and I followed behind them, hiding in Alphonse's shadow upon seeing two men in the navy blue uniform.

Edward wasted no time, flashing his pocket watch at the men before they had a chance to open their mouths. "State Alchemist Fullmetal," he recited.

Both men snapped into salutes. "Major Elric, welcome."

It was weird to see these men who were years, maybe a decade, older than Ed salute him with respect and refer to him with a title. I wasn't familiar with ranks, but I figured Majors had to be relatively high on the list to command such a response.

Ed and Al both moved forward and I began to follow when one of the officers took a step forward. It was then that I noticed they both held rifles in their arms. If it weren't for the fear of getting put at gunpoint, I would have asked what kind it was.

"Identify yourself," an officer commanded and my heart leapt into my throat.

"Um, I-I—"

"She's with me," Edward announced. We both looked at the voice and I saw Ed step between us, sandwiching me between him and Alphonse protectively. I instantly felt safer with the two covering me from view, but the fear of being arrested didn't subside.

"We'll need her ID," the officer said firmly.

"I _said,"_ Ed began, irritation seeping into his voice dangerously, "That she's with me."

I saw Ed's shoulders straighten and watched as he stared the man down. The man was considerably taller than the blonde and, frankly, towered over him. Edward was about my height, if I stood up straight. It was weird at first, considering I was used to everyone being taller than I was. I rarely found people my height, but I found it strangely comforting. It had been nice to not have to look up at Ed to talk to him, that he didn't look down at me like everyone else had to. It made him seem less intimidating.

Though, looking at him now, I can see he could be as intimidating as he wanted.

He kept his glare steady, squaring his shoulders and his confidence made him seem taller, like his aura exuded strength and stature. He didn't crane his head upward to look the officer in the eyes, but rather looked up at him as much as he could, maintaining his steely glare. The officer was visibly uncomfortable.

"I-I'm sorry, sir, but it's protocol," he said, the slight stutter indicating his nervousness.

"I am under strict orders from my commanding officer to bring this girl with me," Ed said lowly. "Are you telling me you're going to prevent me from following through on my mission?"

The officer glanced at his partner nervously, but his grip tightened on the barrel of his gun. "Sir, I'm only doing my job—"

"And so am I!" Ed exclaimed, taking a step forward. The officer took a step back. "If I end up going to Colonel Mustang empty handed, it'll be _you_ he'll have to take it out on."

At the mention of Colonel Mustang, both officers paled, vaguely looking pissed. The officer stepped aside, back to his post, glaring at me angrily. Satisfied, Ed marched away, a devious smirk on his face and I hid in between the brothers as we walked away. Al waited until they were out of earshot and whirled on his brother.

"Was that really necessary?" He asked, a reprimanding tone in his voice. "You scared the man half to death!"

Ed shrugged. "He pissed me off. Serves him right."

I smiled at him sheepishly. "Thanks for that."

He blinked, as if just noticing my presence. He quickly looked away. "Sure, whatever," he grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I gaped at the large gaudy building before me. The walls towered around the facility like a fortress and officers in blue military garb milled aimlessly around. A few were running around a track, someone shouting at them commands as they ran faster.

"So, this is it?" I asked, staring at the white marble building.

"Yep. Cozy, huh?" Ed snorted, staring at the fortress with hands on his hips.

It was intimidating, to put it mildly. But I guess that was the intention of the designer.

"C'mon, let's not waste time. The faster I'm done with the Colonel, the faster I can be out of here," Ed huffed, marching forward. Alphonse and I followed, though I had to rush to keep up with them. He ignored the front desk and made a beeline for the East Wing.

We navigated the large halls and I had no idea how Ed knew where was what because every corridor was the same. Gray walls, linoleum floors. None of it looked particularly memorable. I saw many doors with plaques next to them, but eventually Ed and Al slowed until I could see the front of large, wooden double doors. I felt my heart flip when I saw the name ROY MUSTANG etched into a metal plaque on the wall next to the door.

I stopped, my heart racing wildly in my chest.

I felt a cold hand rest itself on my shoulder and I followed it up to see Alphonse. He bent down slightly to accommodate my height, armored head cocked to the side.

"It's okay," he told me softly.

I had the thought—the hope—that Alphonse was smiling reassuringly at me, but as I stared into the expressionless face of steel, I couldn't feel the warmth of the sentiment.

I began walking again upon seeing Ed's questioning eyes and that he had stopped to look over his shoulder at us. I hurried to catch up.

Before we reached the doors, they opened.

The feeling of deja vu washed over me as I spotted the messy black waves.

 _No way._

I leapt forward, unable to contain the emotions that were threatening to spill out of my very existence. I didn't need to see his green eyes to know who it was. I blazed by Edward and captured him in my arms.

"Noah!" I exclaimed.

I had underestimated my strength and felt the older boy fall back slightly, having to take a few steps back to regain his balance. I clung tighter to his form, resting my ear against his chest. The distant thumping of his heart confirmed that it wasn't a dream and I buried my face into his shirt, unable to contain myself.

"I can't believe I found you!"

The boy in question stiffened upon my embrace awkwardly. He kept his arms planted firmly on his sides.

He swallowed and his voice was confused when I heard him say, "Sorry, but who are you?"

* * *

 **FUCKIN FINALLY.**

 **My bros, my gals, you have _no idea_ how much I've been anticipating this chapter. As I was editing, I hadn't realized how many chapters had been written between my two mains meeting! Like, holy crap, ten whole chapters! I'm so excited. It's fuckin go time. I can't wait to show you guys what I have cooked up. **

**If you liked what you read, like the story, or even like me, PLEASE review and follow! Thank you _so much_ for reading—**

 **UNTIL NEXT CHAP!**


	12. BOOK TWO: REUNITED

**BOOK TWO: REUNITED**

 **Chapter 11: Strangers**

 ** _Yo, pal, heads up for complete POV shift. It will be written this way for the remainder of the story. Enjoy!_**

* * *

Ivy released the boy in front of her as if he were on fire. Had she hugged the wrong person? She studied his face. Forest green eyes laid almost hidden behind a wavy mop of black hair on his head. Did she just happen to see a doppelgänger? She studied further, her brows pinching together in concentration. She saw his cheeks flush as she took a step closer and he reflexively leaned back.

His nose was slightly crooked and swollen. She felt the dull ache in her hand upon seeing it.

This was Noah. No doubt.

"Um..." he started, staring at her with uncomfortable eyes.

She took a step back upon seeing she was quite literally in his personal bubble. "I-it's me," she said dumbly.

He furrowed his brows.

"Ivy...Ivy Thompson," she clarified softly.

Was she that unmemorable?

Upon hearing the name, his eyes widened. "Ivy...?" He asked slowly. "Is that you?"

He was studying her now and she felt the awkwardness she made him suffer through. His gaze was unwavering and upon seeing it, the dream she had earlier came rushing back to her. She felt her face heat up and she darted her eyes away. "Y-yeah."

"You look..." The girl in front of him definitely was Ivy, but he struggled to find the words. He shook his head, abandoning his train of thought. "Never mind. It's just my imagination."

A voice cut their reunion short.

"Hey, kid, what the hell?"

Both of them turned around. Ivy saw the surly blonde walking toward her and his younger brother trailed behind him carefully, minding his heavy steps. She opened her mouth to explain, but was yanked back and she let out a yelp of surprise. She almost fell, but Noah righted her, pulling her behind him.

"What the actual hell is that!?" He blurted out and Ivy watched his face. His eyes were wide and his mouth was open slightly in shock. She traveled his gaze upward to see his eyes planted firmly on Alphonse. Or, rather, he was staring at the terrifying suit of armor he wasn't aware was Alphonse.

She saw Ed frown. "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?" he spat and Ivy saw his hands clench into fists.

Noah flitted his eyes down to the blonde and back up at Alphonse who had stiffened, clearly hurt at Noah's words.

Edward's eyes darkened dangerously and Ivy saw the situation escalating into something bad. She hurriedly planted herself between the two teen boys, hands out to keep Ed from moving forward any more than he already had. She felt his chest push against her palms and she steeled herself to remain firm. He stopped, but his glare didn't leave Noah.

"He didn't mean it!" She exclaimed, trying to keep the oldest Elric from murdering the only person she knew in this nightmare. "He was just surprised!"

Ed kept frowning, but he glanced at her briefly, considering.

She turned her head to Noah. " _Right?"_ She asked pointedly, giving him a _look._ A look he recognized to be 'shut-your-mouth'.

He nodded stiffly, trying to keep himself from gaping at the fucking _suit of armor_ in front of him.

He tried even harder not to stare as said suit of armor rubbed the back of his head. For some reason he didn't expect it to move. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," came the voice of a young boy. A young boy that was _definitely_ not big enough to inhabit that ginormous thing in front of him.

"It's cool," Noah found himself saying, "I shouldn't have, uh, reacted like that."

More questions kept piling in his head.

The blonde in front of him snorted and he looked down to regard him. He was short and Noah didn't fail to notice he was about to clock him in the face a few moments ago. He had golden blonde hair—hair so long that it was kept in a braid that reached the middle of his shoulder blades. Bangs spilled out and framed his face and with a shock, he realized his eyes were almost the same shade of gold as his hair: intense, angry, and unreal.

Noah couldn't think of anyone who had golden eyes, but for some reason the image of them seemed familiar.

"Um," Ivy started, and he noticed she was still stood between the two boys. She turned sideways, still in the middle should she need to diffuse another situation, but was able to face both of them. "Noah? This is Edward and Alphonse Elric. Ed, Al? This is Noah Shasta, the friend I told you about."

The names seemed eerily familiar. When he looked down to see the pocket watch that dangled from Edward's hip, he felt like someone pushed all the air out of him.

All at once it came to him. They looked familiar because they _were_ familiar. They were the main characters of that show Ivy was talking about. The one he used to see on Toonami before he passed out.

Noah had a sinking suspicion he was making the dumbest expression right now and struggled to keep his face expressionless.

If Ivy saw his face, she didn't mention it. Instead, she turned to Edward and Alphonse Elric, like all was normal and that it was only natural to talk to fictional fucking characters.

"Hey, Edward, Alphonse?" She said timidly. Both of them regarded her. "Can I have a moment alone with Noah?"

Edward looked at Noah as if he was still pissed, which, admittedly, he wouldn't blame him if he was. He had freaked out and obviously stepped on some touchy subjects.

"Sure," he said, still eyeing Noah with that look of distaste.

"You'll be okay?" Alphonse asked and he tried not to flinch when he heard the young boy's voice come from inside the armor.

Ivy smiled at him, head craned up to look up at his face. She nodded. "I will be."

They watched as both brothers disappeared behind the double doors. Even after the doors closed, they stood in silence.

Neither of them knew what to say or how to start.

Ivy was the one to break the silence.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you're alright," she began, turning around to face him, "but what are you doing in Central HQ?"

"I'm here to find _you,"_ Noah replied, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. He saw her cheeks flush. "Why are _you_ here?"

"Ironically, the same as you," she mumbled, reaching up to run a hand through her hair. He watched as she ran her fingers through the long brown locks. "But other than that, I have to give a report to Colonel Mustang..."

His eyes narrowed. _That asshole._ No wonder Mustang got all smug when he heard Ivy's name. He _knew_ she was going to be here. That meant there was no point in talking to him about her at all! Noah frowned, clenching his jaw. He had half a mind to go in and sock the guy in the face.

Roy Mustang. The Flame Alchemist. No wonder he was familiar. He saw him in that cartoon.

"A report about what?" He asked. He leaned against the wall by the door. As annoying as the guy was, he had to be thankful that he brought Ivy here.

He saw her face falter and her eyes darted away. "Um, just, yknow. Stuff." He raised a brow and she shook her head vigorously. "Never mind that! You must be freaked out as all hell!"

He had the feeling she was hiding something, but he ignored it for now. He had questions, after all. "That's an understatement." He lowered his voice into a whisper, "What the hell is going on?"

They were silent.

She walked to stand beside him, but he noticed she stood a few feet away, mindful of his personal space this time. She stared at her shoes as she leaned against the wall. Her voice was quiet. "I don't know."

He sighed and pushed his own hand through his hair. It was tangled in its usual mess and gave resistance. "Those guys you were with," he started, feeling his heart race at the very implication of his words. "They were those characters...from that show..."

She nodded.

"So Mustang and the rest of those guys in there...?"

She nodded again.

"So that means that we're, what? In their show?"

She nodded once more.

He felt his head spin. How was he meant to process that information? This is...this was...He shook his head. It's impossible. It was a goddamn cartoon! How the hell did—?

"Noah?"

He looked at her. She didn't look at him.

"You saw it...didn't you."

It was phrased as a question, but it came out like a statement. Flashbacks came to him, bits and pieces, and while it was jumbled and incoherent, his head didn't ache.

"Yeah. Did you?"

"Yeah. I mean, I think so, at least."

They were silent again.

He was reeling. He turned to her and despite himself, he felt his hands begin to shake. He clenched his hands into fists to keep them still. "So, how? How does it all make sense? How did we end up here?"

She kicked at an imaginary rock on the ground. Her shoe squeaked against the linoleum. "I think we ended up in some sort of alternate universe," she explained. "I mean, like, think about it this way: when someone makes one choice, there must be a different timeline that exists where someone made the _opposite_ choice."

His brows pinched together. "Oh _-kay_ , that's cool and all, but what does that have to do with the fact we're in a goddamn _TV show?_ "

She glared at him then. A cheek puffed out and her brows were pinched together as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Just listen, will ya?" She snapped. She looked down the hall behind him and behind her. When she deemed no one was there, she turned to him again, but spoke in a quieter voice. "My best guess is that this is a parallel universe from ours. It makes sense, considering this was endgame for the show, but..." she trailed off, staring at a point behind him. "If that was the case, then that means this is the 2003 version...but then the transmutation circle...?"

She was talking to herself, gnawing on her lower lip as she contemplated it.

He shook his head. "Okay, but then the question remains," he started, snapping her out of her reverie. "How did a fictional show exist? And how did we have a show about it in the first place?"

She deflated. "That's the thing. I don't know."

Noah closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Okay."

"Okay?" He heard Ivy repeat, her voice questioning.

"I believe you," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. Ivy made a sour face like she just ate something gross.

"Thanks?" She hadn't realized their reality was something to be believed in, like she could be lying or something.

The door opened then, piercing their bubble. Alphonse's metal head poked out. "Um, Ivy? The Colonel wants to see you now."

 _Right,_ she thought. She stood taller. _No more prolonging the inevitable._

She took a step forward only to be stopped by a hand. She turned back to see Noah gripping her wrist. His eyes were hard.

"I spent too much time worrying about you. I'm not letting you out of my sight," he told her.

She smiled wryly, tugging on her hand. "I'm not gonna disappear, yknow." When Noah's grip just tightened, she sighed. "Fine."

Noah's lip quirked into a small smile and he released her triumphantly. Ivy wanted to roll her eyes, but honestly she was relieved. She had the same fear that if she took her eyes off him for a second, she'd wake up from a dream, and he wouldn't be there to begin with. They both walked in through the door Alphonse held out politely.

Ivy had been preparing herself for two hours straight but she felt like she wasn't prepared at all. She stood awkwardly in front of the door, staring at the three men lounging in the desks before her.

She saw a blonde man sit up straight upon seeing her. "Al, who's the little lady you brought?" She recognized him to be Havoc. If the blonde spiky hair and blue eyes weren't enough, the thick stench of tobacco gave it away.

"This is Ivy. Ivy, this is Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc," Al introduced faithfully. Then he faltered and rubbed the back of his head. "Though you probably already know..." he whispered just quietly enough for her to hear. She tried not to snort.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, applauding herself on not stuttering.

Havoc smiled easily. "Likewise." He jabbed a thumb at the two behind him. "That's Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda and Sargent Kain Fuery."

The stout man with gelled up red hair grunted a greeting while the timid man pushed up his glasses, giving her a shy smile. She gave a nod back to the both of them, giving a hesitant smile herself. All three men looked about as much as their drawn characterizations alluded to. Breda was a stocky man, with chubby cheeks and his blue military uniform had been unbuttoned, showing a plain brown shirt underneath. She couldn't see Fuery as much as she'd like, since after his brief attention, he hurriedly went back to tinkering with a box of metal. Ivy could faintly hear him pick up tools and she heard a rattle, most likely screws that had been dropped onto his desk. Havoc was surprisingly tall, his long legs stretching over his desk and onto the empty one across him, and she noticed that he seemed very...solid. If the tightness in the arms of his military uniform were any indication, she bet if he took the jacket off, he'd be _well_ built.

She shook herself out of her reverie, sure she was probably staring creepily. She heard Al's footsteps a bit of ways in front, and the back of Noah's head in front of her. She hurriedly followed after them and to the door at the very back of the room.

Alphonse knocked twice and Ivy heard a very deep voice call, "Come in."

As Alphonse opened the door and bent down to be able to fit in, her heart began to race. Oh god, she wasn't ready at all. She wanted nothing but to run in the opposite direction. Oh god, what if she says something incredibly dumb? Oh god, what if he thinks she's an idiot?! Oh god, what if—

Brown eyes locked with eyes as dark as his raven hair.

He smirked upon seeing her. "So _you're_ the famous Ivy I've heard so much about."

Oh god, it was even worse than anything she could have imagined. He was _attractive._

He had broad shoulders and a jawline that could cut butter. His hair was mussed and messy, like he had just had sex and she wondered if he intentionally made it that way or if he just woke up like that. However, the thought of _how_ he could have woken up like that made her start blushing so she quickly stopped thinking about it. His eyes were as dark as the night sky itself and the smirk that was etched on his face probably made women melt on sight.

"Y-yeah, that's me," she said and wanted to smack herself in the face.

Roy Mustang made a sweeping gesture to the two couches she just noticed were there. "Take a seat."

She swallowed and nodded, forcing herself to put one foot in the other until she made it to the couch. She plopped into it, sinking in comfortably, but her body was so tense and she felt so off-center she couldn't enjoy it and sat up stiffly, on the edge of the cushion. Noah easily fell in beside her, having no problems making himself comfortable. She saw Edward sat in the couch across from her, legs crossed and his trademark scowl on his face with Alphonse stood behind him. She supposed he didn't want to rip the leather in the links of his armor.

Upon seeing Noah, Roy's smirk deepened. "Didn't I tell you we'd find her soon?" He asked.

Noah scowled in response. "Damn rat," he muttered under his breath and Ivy felt herself flinch.

"Alright, Colonel Bastard, we've brought her. Now you make good on our deal," Edward spat candidly and Ivy flinched at his rude tone as well. She knew it was just how their relationship was, but she cringed at how rude it sounded in real life. If she had talked to any adult that way, her _nanay*_ would have smacked her right across the face for being so disrespectful.

Mustang handled both boys' rudeness as if they had just exchanged pleasantries. "Of course, of course. But there are a few matters we need to attend to first." He trained his gaze on Ivy and she tried not to give away how blatantly she had been checking him out earlier. "I understand you not only uncovered a chimera hideaway, but have also been attacked by Scar?"

Ivy paled at the list and Noah shot up in his seat.

" _Attacked?"_ He questioned, shooting a look in her direction. She chose to ignore him in favor of answering Mustang. She nodded.

"Yes," she answered quietly.

"I see," the older man hummed. He closed his eyes to ponder the facts for a moment, his mouth set in a firm line. He nodded to himself after a moment. "You will make reports of both of these events and then meet with First Lieutenant Hawkeye to go over them."

She nodded. "Yes, sir." She wasn't a part of the military, but calling him 'sir' seemed to fit the moment. Mustang's mouth twitched into a smirk. He pointedly glanced at Edward.

"At least _someone_ here has respect," he commented snidely.

"Bite me," Ed deadpanned.

Mustang sighed, leaning into his leather chair. He addressed Ivy again. "After making both reports, we'll convene and begin the application for citizenship. When Fullmetal mentioned you were foreign, I didn't expect it to mean you were foreign from this _world."_

Ivy, Edward, and Alphonse all reflexively stiffened _._ Ed was the first to speak.

"How did you—?"

When Noah looked away sheepishly, Ivy whirled on him, glaring. "You _told_ him?"

He flinched upon seeing everyone's eyes on him. Two out of the four glaring daggers at him. He put his hands up in surrender. "I didn't realize it was supposed to be a secret!" He lamented.

Ed wasn't having it. "Of _course_ it's a secret, you moron!" He growled. "How dumb are you?!"

Noah balled his hands into fists, leaning forward. "You trying to start something, pipsqueak?!"

"PIPSQUEAK?!" He exploded. Edward leapt to his feet. Noah stood up in response, arms up and ready.

"Noah, no!" Ivy shrieked, bouncing up and wrapping her arms around his torso, trying to pull him back.

"Brother, stop!" Alphonse warned, looping his arms under Ed's, effectively lifting him a foot off the ground.

Both boys struggled to free themselves from each hold. Mustang had risen to his feet, barking orders for them to stop, but neither paid heed. It was a chaos of yelling, flailing limbs, and testosterone.

A loud _BANG_ startled all members into silence, save for their yelps of surprise.

"What the _hell_ is going on here?!"

Ivy's ears were still ringing and she pulled on her earlobes to lessen the sound. Noah also rubbed at his ears from the deafening bang. Edward, Mustang, and Alphonse looked unperturbed, looking guiltily away from the voice. Through the discomfort, Ivy looked from behind Noah to see who had effectively ended the fight and felt her breath get stuck in her throat.

It was Riza Hawkeye, her mouth pulled down into a hard frown. Her light brown eyes glared at all of them and in her hands was a pistol, the barrel smoking from the blank she had fired. Ivy marveled at the gun in her hands. She had thought Hawkeye shooting a gun to stifle arguments was an exaggeration in the show. But due to the unsurprised looks of the brothers and Mustang, she guessed it was more common than she thought.

"Lieutenant," Mustang greeted enthusiastically. He looked absolutely relieved at the prospect of not handling four teenagers on his own. "Nice of you to finally join us."

The blonde woman loosened her shoulders, holstering the gun at her hip. In her arms was a stack of papers in a manila folder. Her frown lessened and her face returned to a mostly neutral expression, the only thing giving away her displeasure being the aura around her. She pointedly walked between the two couches, parting the Red Sea of Testosterone. Noah and Edward took a step back, sitting slowly back down on their respective couch cushions. If they didn't feel guilty before, they surely looked it now. They both turned away, staring in opposite directions, arms folded across their chests. Ivy and Alphonse took relieved sighs.

Mustang took the file from her and opened it, separating the papers within. "Fullmetal."

Ed raised a brow.

"I believe you have a report of your own to write," he remarked and Ivy could see Ed's cheeks flush sheepishly. "Not to mention a dorm to settle into. Make your arrangements; this vacation will _not_ last long."

Ed grumbled a few choice words before standing up. Alphonse also straightened. "Is that all?"

He nodded. "You're dismissed."

The brothers began their retreat out the door and instinctively, Ivy moved to stand as well.

"Miss Thompson," she heard the older man call. She looked at him over her shoulder. With one look at his serious eyes, she understood.

She wasn't _allowed_ to leave this room _._

She fell back onto the couch dejectedly.

Alphonse paused, regarding her. She was frowning ever so slightly, her shoulders slumped. He recognized the panicked look in her eyes and turned toward her. "Don't worry, Ivy. It won't take long." He tried to make his voice sound as comforting as possible.

"Yeah, me and Al will just be at the dormitories," Ed told her, giving a half-smile. She guessed it was meant to look reassuring, but seeing him open the door made the panic rise in her chest. "Don't sweat it."

Ivy swallowed, forcing herself to smile. It felt awkward and unnatural on her face and she nodded at them. Edward nodded back, turning and leaving the room. Alphonse gave a small wave and she waved back. Then he turned, following his brother out the room, and closed the door behind them. The sound of the lock clicking in place echoed in her ears. She stared down at her hands that clenched the hem of her long t-shirt tightly. Logically she knew Edward and Alphonse were literally in the same building, but she felt their absence like a punch to the gut. Those boys had found her and she hadn't been separated from them for more than five minutes since she got here. She suddenly felt very vulnerable and very unsafe.

She shook her head, chiding herself in her head. _Dummy. It's just Mustang. You know he's a good guy,_ she thought.

 _But is he_ really _what the show made him out to be?_ Came her Inner Voice, warningly. Ivy peered at the man behind the desk from under her hair and eyed the blonde standing next to him. They had the same name, and the same features, but like she realized on the train, they were still strangers. It didn't matter what she had read or seen. These were real people that she did not know and that variable of not knowing placed fear in her heart.

Ivy pressed herself closer to Noah, hoping his familiar presence would give her courage. He only looked at her strangely as their knees brushed against each other.

Mustang considered the papers before him, staring at them with knitted brows. He was frowning deeply. His eyes flicked to the paper before him, to Noah and Ivy, and back down.

"This may be a problem," he said suddenly.

Noah raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

The older man sighed as he placed the papers down on his desk. "Granting citizenship in times like these is more than a challenge," he said. He looked at Ivy warily. "And it doesn't help that tensions are rising with the East and the bordering countries. It'll be hard to gain favor with the Immigration Department."

Ivy's brows pinched together. Tensions rising with the East? Why does that have—

Oh. She looked down at her hands in her lap. Tan, almost olive brown skin. She glanced at Noah's peach complexion and the pale lightness of Mustang and Riza.

Ivy was mixed: half filipino and half white. It used to annoy her that she didn't fit neatly in one category and made her self conscious, but she learned not to care. As time went on and she grew, she became more racially ambiguous, often being confused for another race entirely. Of course, this was looked at with humor and polite correction. She lived in California, after all; the small bubble of the Bay Area was accepting and it didn't matter.

But here, it was 1915. The Ishvalan War had just happened. The wounds were still fresh. People saw her and saw her as foreign. Different.

The contrast between 2015 and 1915 grew darker.

"Will it be impossible?" Ivy asked, voice weak.

Mustang gave her an even stare. His mouth twitched upward in the hint of a smile. "No. You have two state alchemists to vouch for you. It'll take a while, but the odds are in your favor."

Relief bloomed in her chest.

"That said, we'll have to create profiles for the both of you," he announced. "Lieutenant Hawkeye can assist you with the paperwork. I'll begin work on the letter of recommendations and applications in the meantime."

Hawkeye nodded.

* * *

"What's your name?"

Ivy was sat with the lieutenant by her desk. She had pulled her own wooden chair out from behind it to face Ivy's. They sat across from each other, nothing between them. Riza Hawkeye sat straight, one leg crossed over the other and the file on the desk beside her. Despite her perfect posture, she leaned her elbow on the desk comfortably. Ivy guessed she had done this to make her feel less nervous, unlike Mustang who preferred the intimidating distance.

"Ivy Thompson," she told her.

Riza's mouth quirked upward. "Like the rifle?" She asked.

Ivy blinked, registering the question. She felt her own smile spread. "Yeah, like the rifle." Riza hummed in response, scribbling down her name at the top of the paper. As silly as it was, it felt good to relate to the woman on some level. She had always loved her character; in fact, Hawkeye was a favorite of hers.

Ivy glanced at Noah in the corner of her eye, sat by Havoc. They weren't far away by any standard, but they were separated by a desk space worth. She didn't understand why they had to be questioned by different people, but she guessed it made it go by faster.

For the next half hour, Ivy and Noah had been questioned about every facet of their physique. There were the easy things, like eye color, hair color, birthdays, etc. She had to do the quick math for what year they were going to say she was born, because June 30, 1999 did not happen yet. It was a bit funny to see the stoic Riza Hawkeye perplexed when she had to explain the time difference between her and Noah's world, but otherwise it was easy to give. She was surprised Noah didn't know.

"So _that's_ why the cars and phones are like that," he had said.

"Did you not know that it took place in the past?" She had asked.

He had given her the most exasperated expression she had seen. "I didn't even know what the show was called; do you really think I'd know something like the year it took place in?"

That thought never even occurred to her. She made a mental note to go over everything with him once things calmed down and they weren't, like, in danger of being deported from the country.

As they went down the list of information, Riza had opted to specify she was of mixed heritage, while Havoc had put down 'Amestrian' for Noah.

"Height?" Riza asked.

"Last I checked, five-foot-one," Ivy told her. Riza looked at her blankly.

"Does your side also use a different measurement system?" She asked. It was Ivy's turn to look at her blankly.

"Huh?"

"We use Metric," she informed her. "Do you know the conversion?" With one look at Ivy's sheepish expression, Riza sighed. "I'll go get the measuring tape."

Ivy pouted. Well, that's one more thing she has to learn about this place. The list was getting annoyingly long.

After a bit, the lieutenant returned with the measuring tape and a scale.

 **Ivy Thompson:**

Birthday: 30 June 1899  
Age: 15  
Height: 160 cm  
Weight: 62 kg  
Eyes: brown  
Hair: brown

 **Noah Shasta:**

Birthday: 2 September 1898  
Age: 16  
Height: 170 cm  
Weight: 68 kg  
Eyes: green  
Hair: black

After reading their reports, she figured they were done. When Noah had stood and took his shirt off, however, Ivy nearly fell out of her seat.

"What the hell are you doing?!" She yelped, face red.

He looked at her with confusion. "My measurements," he replied in a 'duh' tone.

She kept her eyes trained on his forest green eyes.

 _Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down._

She glanced down.

 _Crap._

Noah was ripped. He was lean, but apparently that did _not_ equal skinny. His bicep muscle bulged as he threw his shirt to the nearby desktop and she watched the chiseled lines in his stomach. Her eyes traveled down his stomach to see the V in his hips and—

"Ivy," came the lieutenant's voice.

She tore her gaze from Noah's naked chest and stared up at the woman who stood before her. Riza nodded her head in the direction of Mustang's office and Ivy hurriedly stood up, scrambling to follow the woman up and out of the room. She hoped to whatever god was out there that Noah didn't notice her obvious perving.

When the lieutenant opened the door, Mustang's head bobbed up.

"Out," she said simply.

His eyes darted from Riza's eyes, to the measuring tape in her hands, and to Ivy. He quickly stood, gathering his papers, and exited. While he walked by, she realized he was much taller than she had thought. Riza closed the door after him and then walked to the large window that shone light into the office. She pulled the curtain down, leaving the artificial light.

"Please remove your clothes," she told her softly.

She did as instructed, shedding her army green jacket and then the black t-shirt she was wearing. The air was cold and she felt goosebumps rise on her skin. The woman's brows pinched together as she saw the bandages that wrapped around her arm and chest. Ivy felt her cheeks flush and look away.

"Scar, um..." She vaguely lifted her arm.

Hawkeye nodded. Ivy was grateful she didn't say anything and just wrapped the tape around her waist. Ivy followed every instruction and Hawkeye measured literally everything. From her inseam, to her wingspan, to her bust, and waist and just about anything that _could_ be measured. She didn't realize that the Amestris government was so thorough. She wondered if every government did this or if Amestris was an anomaly in that sense.

After a few minutes, Riza let her know she was finished and Ivy hurriedly re-dressed. Even if the lieutenant was also a woman, Ivy was less than content with her body. She wasn't worriedly overweight or anything, she just had a few rolls she didn't want and was soft in places she wished she wasn't. It especially didn't help that Noah was all about physical maintenance, apparently.

They exited the office then and couldn't find Mustang anywhere. She guessed he actually had something to do outside of the office. She saw Noah, now clothed, chatting.

"...so she _threw_ her drink at me," Havoc finished. Noah laughed. It was a nice sound, Ivy decided.

Upon noticing the two of them, Havoc and Noah turned their attention to them. He waved the manila folder up in the air. "Finished," he announced.

"Good," she replied, walking forward to grab it from him. She placed it in her arms, above Ivy's folder.

"Hey, girly," he greeted easily. It took her a moment to realize he was addressing her. "I've got a dorm with your name on it."

The walk to the dormitories was longer than she thought. Ivy tried memorizing the way, figuring she should probably know where the hell she was for fear of getting lost. Unfortunately, it was all still boring gray walls and linoleum tile. The most she got was that the dorms were supposedly under the ground floor, making her wonder how deep Central HQ goes. Soon the three of them reached smaller corridors that had brown walls instead of gray and the doors that used to be large and intimidating turned into singles with a number tacked along it.

When they reached the door that bared the number 122, Havoc stopped. He procured a key from his pocket and dropped it into her hands.

"The Colonel told me that you'll be staying here until things get figured out with your visa," he explained. "He supposedly got it ready for you, so he said there's some food in the fridge if you get hungry. The shower pressure in the bathroom sucks and don't flush the toilet or run the kitchen sink while you're in it, or the water will go cold."

Ivy nodded trying to absorb all the information he was telling her. "Shower sucks, water will go cold, and food. Got it."

He smiled, the cigarette in his mouth lifting with the motion. "If you need anything, try to use the phone there to call the office. This is the number." He handed her a slip of paper.

She took it from his hands and gave him a smile. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He gave a wave. "See ya around, girly. You're allowed to stay in there too, yknow," he said, the statement directed at Noah.

He nodded. "Gotcha."

They watched Havoc disappear around the hallway and Ivy fumbled with the key to get it unlocked. She opened the door and it was so dark, she felt along the wall for the light switch. Upon finding it, light flooded the room. Creme carpet served as a contrast from the linoleum in the halls and the walls were white. It was a plain room, with a bed in the corner and a small wooden dresser across from there. She saw the small kitchen area, fit with a small fridge and across from there was the door she was sure led to the bathroom. A coat rack was by the door; she shed her own jacket and hung it up on one of the free spaces.

Noah's brows cinched together. "Did you get hurt?"

Ivy flinched, putting her hand over her bicep. She had forgotten she was wearing a t-shirt; the bandages reached down to just before the bend of her elbow and disappeared up the short sleeve. She reached behind her to close the door after Noah walked in. He walked to the twin-sized bed, sitting down on one end. The springs groaned in response.

"Oh, um..." She wasn't sure how to explain. "This was from the attack by Scar."

His eyes narrowed. "Speaking of, what did Mustang mean by that?"

She took the few steps and sat on the bed as well, bringing a foot underneath her. The springs creaked in protest again. "I, uh—okay, so how much do you know about the show?"

He let out a breath, shrugging his shoulders. "Honestly, almost nothing. I remember a few characters; the military was a thing, and Edward Elric was young when he joined." He rubbed the back of his head. "That's pretty much it."

Ivy's shoulders slumped. That means she'd have to explain _everything._ "Okay, so basically Scar is this guy who hates the military. He's Ishbalan, which is a group of people that were religious and against alchemy, which is like, this place's version of magic," she started, "It led to the Ishbalan Civil War and a lot of bad stuff happened...Think the holocaust proportions of hate and tragedy."

At the mention, Noah's expression grew somber. He listened quietly as Ivy explained the background of the Ishbalan War and why Scar was the way he was. She explained the weight of it, and how recent the wounds were. She told him about Scar's brother, and the human transmutation, and the way Scar used alchemy.

"So, he has a vendetta against state alchemists, and goes around, uh, murdering them," Ivy said, the words getting harder to come out. Now that she was in this reality and speaking of the horrors aloud, it all became different to explain. It was real and horrible; no longer just an anime. She suddenly realized the _real_ danger she had been in and shivered at the memory. "Um, and state alchemists have this identifier which is a pocket watch..." she trailed off, letting her words sink in.

His eyes widened. "Wait, are you telling me that pocket watch you had was...?" She nodded. "Are you saying that Scar guy saw you with it and—?!" She looked away, grimacing. She nodded reluctantly. Noah bolted upright, jumping to his feet. "Ivy, you could have _died!_ "

"I-I know," she said quietly, reaching up to touch her arm. The scene flashed in her mind and her heart raced at the memory. "But I didn't! I'm still here!" She tried cheerfully.

Noah glared at her and frowned. "You could have _died,"_ he repeated. "Brain exploded. Done. When did this happen?"

She stared at her hands, seeing the hand that was also wrapped in white bandages. "He was in the area I woke up in. It was just unfortunate luck I ran into him." She shook her head, looking back up at him. "Never mind that. Where did you end up? How have you been faring?"

Noah relaxed somewhat then, sitting back down on the bed. "I woke up on a park bench here in Central. I got arrested."

"You got _arrested?"_ She exclaimed. "Noah, that's bad! You have a criminal record now!"

He waved her off. "It's fine. Dick cop," he said, as if that explained everything. "The asshole gave me to his boss and he was really chill about it. Gave me a place to stay and everything. He was the one that brought me to meet Mustang."

Ivy relaxed, relieved he wasn't rotting in a jail cell this whole time. "That's still really bad, Noah."

He smirked. "I mean, I wasn't chased by a serial killer, so," he said. She snorted.

"I guess not," she relented, smiling.

"So, what about you? Where have you been staying this whole time?"

"Well, after Scar, Edward and Alphonse found me," she said, a smile spreading on her face. "They've been taking care of me this whole time. I'm beyond grateful to them; if they hadn't found me...I don't even want to _think_ of what would have happened."

Noah shifted his weight on the bed. He absently ran his hand through his hair. "I guess I shouldn't have picked a fight with the little guy then," he grumbled.

The memory of the event made Ivy frown. She moved so she faced Noah head on, bringing both legs up and sitting on the bed criss-cross-applesauce. "Yeah. You were _really_ out of line, Noah. You need to be nicer to them. I owe them a lot and they're really cool and nice and good people."

He sighed. "I get it, I get it. I'll apologize," he groaned. "The guy just pissed me off. He didn't need to call me stupid."

Ivy grimaced. "Okay, you have a point," she admitted. "Ed was a little mean too. Just try to get along though, okay? No more alpha-male fighting."

He blinked, trying to figure what she meant by 'alpha male fighting' when the door burst open.

"NOAH-BOY!" Came the yell of the man who burst through the door. Ivy and Noah jumped, whirling around to face the voice. She flinched and her eyes widened as though she saw a ghost. Upon seeing her, the man looked surprised. "Oh! Hello there." He looked at Noah. "Sorry, son, didn't know you had, uh, lady company. I'll give you two some privacy and—"

"It's not like that!" Noah exclaimed, his face growing red. Ivy felt her own face heat up at the implication.

The man smirked. "Oh?"

Noah groaned, slapping a hand over his face. He gestured toward Ivy in a vague wave, refusing to look in her direction. "This is Ivy! The girl I was looking for!"

"Ohhh _,"_ the man said, straightening. He stood straighter, closing the distance between them in two easy steps. "I see. Sorry about that. I'm Maes Hughes."

She stared at the hand he outstretched to her, her mind whirling. "I-it's nice to meet you," she said quietly, grasping his hand softly. He squeezed her hand as they shook. Ivy willed herself not to stare, not to give away the pull at her heart as she looked at him. The hazel eyes behind his glasses were kind and his smile was genuine; it occurred to her that he was the one who had helped Noah out.

"Likewise," Maes Hughes happily chirped. He stared at her then, observing her as if he wanted to memorize the features of her face. He cocked his head to the side. "You come from the same place Noah does, right?"

She nodded, shooting a wary glance at Noah. Who _else_ had he told about them? "Yes."

"Huh." Ivy wasn't sure if it was a good 'huh' or a bad 'huh.' He turned to Noah again. "If you want to catch up, I'll come back—"

"No, no!" Ivy exclaimed, cutting him off, making him blink his eyes at her. She felt her cheeks burn that she had interrupted him. "Um, I mean, it's okay. I have a lot of things to figure out and to settle in and everything." She glanced at Noah. "It's okay if it's okay with you. Just make sure to come back tomorrow, alright?"

Noah paused, staring at her. He was about to protest, but something about the tired look in her eyes made him stop. It had been a long day. A _really_ long and weird day. He needed some time to recharge and think about everything she had told him. He eventually nodded.

"Yeah. Sure thing."

Ivy watched as Noah and Maes Hughes exited, shutting the door behind them. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Christ," she breathed. She pushed her hands through her hair. _What now?_

* * *

 ** _* Nanay (nah-nye) is the filipino word for 'mother' though Ivy uses it in reference to her grandmother._**

 **So, as read above, the story will now be told in third person. It takes a bit for me to get into the groove of it, with the change and all, so apologies if it showed my unease too much in this chapter. It'll soon get better, promise. (Also—longest chapter yet! 7,000 and some odd words). Tell me what you think about the longer chapters! Yay or nay?**

 **Until Next Chap!**


	13. Midnights and Cups of Coffee

**Chapter 12: In Midnights and Cups of Coffee**

* * *

Ivy frowned up into the white ceiling. After Noah and Hughes left, she took a well-deserved break from all human interaction. It was entirely too stressful to meet character after character and then on top of that, deal with the whole almost-deportation thing. She had tried milling through her thoughts, try to come up with any sense of the mess they had found themselves in, but she was just too tired. She eventually had fallen asleep.

It was almost 9:00 when she awoke from her stress nap, so she doubted she could catch up with Ed and Al. She debated going back to sleep, but she was too awake, and instead opted for unpacking her suitcase. It didn't take long to put her very few clothes in a single drawer and her toothbrush and toiletries in the bathroom, so she figured she may as well start on those reports Mustang wanted her to do. She fished into the drawers and cupboards to search for paper and a pen and after ransacking the entire place, found a notebook and began writing down everything she could remember.

The Scar report didn't take too long to recall, but she decided to take a few liberties and leave out the part about her embarrassing break down and confessing to Scar the Big Secret. She did, however, mention the pocket-watch as the cause for him attacking and she had soured, remembering the now broken keepsake. The chimera report was harder to recall, since every time she thought about it, she remembered Ugly. She forced herself to write through the lump in her throat, however when she had written about Ugly's death, she had lost the battle and began crying.

She also left the part out about the Nationwide transmutation circle, figuring that was the biggest spoiler to ever spoil.

She did mention Lust, figuring they already knew about the Homunculi, though she refrained from saying her name. From between writing, crying, and then writing again, she had finished the reports, albeit one had obvious tear stains.

After showering, then rummaging through the fridge, she stood in the small kitchen area, chewing on toast and sipping on a glass of water. She tried to keep her mind blank, figuring she should relax, but her mind went back to the one question she didn't know how to answer:

What now?

One week has passed since she woke up here. Since she had gotten here, it was just a struggle for survival and finding Noah. She hadn't even considered her next step, which was getting back home. How was she supposed to do that?

She frowned, taking another bite.

She looked at the dreary dorm room and the bare walls and unfamiliar clothes and sheets.

"I want to go home," she whispered.

No one answered her.

"Okay, think," she said aloud, "How did you end up here?"

 _Alchemy,_ came the answer in her mind.

"Right. Okay." She sifted through the options in her mind before announcing them aloud. She had often thought through things out loud at home, the spoken sentences making it easier to differentiate thoughts in the whirlwind of her head. "I got caught up in a human transmutation. That sent us through the Gate."

Her brows pinched together. "Wait. If we went through the Gate, what did we pay?"

Her mind exploded in a cacophony of theories and voices and trains of thoughts. It was almost too much that it hurt, but she grained through it, determined to make sense of it. She had to have paid _something._ It was the one rule of the Universe, or _this_ Universe, anyway: in order to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost.

" _You have already paid what is due."_

The chilling voice stood out against the others in her head, ringing out loud and clear. Her visit to Truth was hazy, but she knew what he—she? It?— had said. It told her that she had already paid.

She looked down at her body. Stitched up and bandaged, but there was still a body nonetheless. Nothing was missing; she was whole as was Noah.

"What did I pay?" She asked dully, to the empty of the room.

She knew she had to be grateful she wasn't missing any limbs and consider herself lucky. She tried to just accept the good fortune as-is, but for some reason it made her uneasy. How had she— _and_ Noah—get out unscathed? Especially since Truth _assured_ her she had indeed paid.

"Maybe it was sacrificing our lives back home," she whispered, the thought making her stomach flip over. She shook her head, balling her hands to fists. "No!" She cried vehemently, squeezing her eyes shut. "I can't think that way! We are going home, no matter what! I _refuse_ to believe that we're stuck!" It occurred to her that if anyone had walked in and seen her arguing with herself so emphatically, they'd think her insane.

However, even then, if sacrificing the way back _was_ what had happened...it still didn't seem to fit.

Her brain was screaming at her now, as if the answer was just at the back of her mind, but no matter what she did, she could not decipher the solution in the mess of her thoughts. Different theories were flying around in her head and she felt the buzzing of hypotheses spit back options as fast as it disproved them. She pushed her hands through her slightly damp hair, brushing back her bangs from her face.

"This is too much..." she whimpered pathetically. All of these worries didn't matter if she didn't understand how alchemy had worked in the first place!

Just like that, a light bulb went off.

" _Duh_!" She exclaimed triumphantly, hitting herself in the forehead. "Forget where you are much, Ives?" She ran from behind the counter, scurrying toward the door. She struggled to shove her arms in the sleeves of her jacket and push her feet back in her shoes, but she succeeded eventually, and turned the knob. Imagine her surprise when someone almost tumbled backward upon opening the door.

The someone who had been apparently leaning on the door let out a yelp of surprise before righting himself before he fell. He stumbled and then straightened, turning to look down at Ivy.

"Mr. Fuery?" She asked, recognizing the man behind the glasses.

The young man flinched, looking away as he readjusted the frames that slipped down his nose. "A-ah! Miss Thompson, uh," he stammered, his cheeks flushing an embarrassed pink. "What are you doing up so late?"

She felt herself flush as well. She had completely forgotten that it was well into the night, probably midnight or later. Edward and Alphonse were probably asleep by now. "I couldn't sleep," she answered, and then remembered. "Wait. What are _you_ doing here so late, Mr. Fuery?"

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and that was when she saw he was still in uniform. Not only that, but his gun was also still holstered. Then it hit her.

"You're here to keep an eye on me," she said, answering her own question.

Kain Fuery nodded.

It all pieced together then. She wasn't offered the dorm room out of the kindness of Roy Mustang's heart. It was offered so he could keep a close eye on her. And seeing Kain Fuery here, posted at her door, she realized it only sufficed as a comfortable jail cell. She tried to not let the disappointment show, but she knew herself well, and she was known for wearing her heart on her sleeve.

"How long have you been here?" She asked, releasing her grip on the door knob.

"Not long. I switched shifts with Second Lieutenant Breda an hour ago," he told her, "The Colonel ordered us to make sure you didn't leave the room." She guessed he hadn't seen the reason to lie to her, and for that, she was grateful.

"I see," she hummed. She started removing her shoes. No point in having them on now, she guessed. "Do you know why?" She decided to ask. She hoped he didn't think her as some sort of criminal.

"The Colonel told us you were a friend to Edward and Alphonse and that we needed to keep you safe," he generously informed her, "And hidden."

Ivy snorted at the dramatic stretch of the truth and vague reason. It did make her feel better though, that he also put her safety as an order. She began to shed her jacket off again, throwing it up on the coat-rack. "Well, how long is your shift?"

"Until the morning, when First Lieutenant Hawkeye takes over," he told her.

She didn't need to mull it over in her head. "Would you like to come in and have a cup of coffee then? I think I saw some instant in the cupboard somewhere," she offered.

Fuery started, stammering again. "I, uh, I don't think..."

"I mean, you'll be here for a while," Ivy continued, "And it's not like I'll run out on you or anything."

He considered it for a moment, glancing at the opened door. "Wouldn't you like to go to sleep?"

She shrugged, smiling wryly. "Told you; can't sleep," she said. "So, how about it?"

Fuery relaxed, a smile breaking out on his face. "Thank you, Miss Thompson. I'd love a cup of coffee."

She blushed at the formality, stepping aside to let him in. She noticed that he had also taken off his shoes before entering, which she appreciated immensely. "Um, you can call me Ivy, yknow."

Fuery smiled at her. "Alright, Miss Ivy." He put his hand out to hers. "I'm Master Sergeant Kain Fuery; I hadn't a chance to properly introduce myself. You can call me Kain."

Ivy smiled brightly at him, shaking his hand firmly. "It's nice to meet you, Kain. How do you like your coffee?"

* * *

Noah couldn't sleep. Not when everything apparently was supposed to be fake and fictional and a _show—_

He stopped himself before he went down his mind-rabbit-hole again. He'd been down it far too many times during the night and as a result, hadn't slept a wink.

He squinted at the window. Was that _sunlight_?

He threw the covers off, padding his way to the window across his bed. He pulled the curtain open and frowned. Daybreak had started appearing in the sky, turning the night into a myriad of oranges and reds. Through the gaps in the buildings, he could see the sun peaking above the horizon line. He dropped the curtain so the light only shined through the small crack between the two fabrics. So he managed to think his way up until dawn. Go figure.

Irritated, he began undressing, digging through the box of clothes Gracia had left him. He pushed his legs into a pair of jeans that surprisingly fit him well and then a shirt that was probably just one size too big. He went to the bathroom that was just outside the spare bedroom and was mindful of making too much noise, lest he wake up any of the Hughes's. Once inside, he stared at himself in the mirror.

He was met with his own scowling face and his frown deepened when he noticed the two dark moons that started forming under his eyes. He heaved a sigh, turning on the tap. He kept the water cold and splashed his face with it. The cold made him flinch, but he wiped his hands down his face and reached for a towel. He pushed some water through his mop of hair, hoping that it could tame it some.

He hadn't seen his hair so unkempt in years. Usually he would slap some pomade in it to keep it semi-out of his face and in some sort of style. Now it just fell wherever it went, the waves sticking out in random directions. The hair he usually would have fixed upward and back now hung in front of his forehead haphazardly. He noticed, annoyingly, it made him look younger, accentuating what little baby fat he still had in his face.

He huffed, embarrassed that it upset him just a bit. It was such a stupid thing to care about. He had more pressing matters—much more _important_ matters— than his hair.

 _Like how we're in a goddamn cartoon,_ he thought bitterly. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. The annoying waves just snapped back to place. He smiled wryly at his own reflection. _Well...Always said nothing was impossible._ Somehow, saying that seemed to borderline inappropriate at how true it was.

He retreated to his room and fell back on the bed, hoping to get at least an hour of sleep until Hughes woke up so they could go back to Central HQ. It felt weird to leave Ivy after having worried about her for a straight week. He spent so much energy to find her, only to leave her again. As weird as it felt, he was grateful for the break. He was fed so much information it left him so irritable and he doubted he would have been pleasant to be around. He needed time to recharge and think about it all.

He sighed again, rolling over onto his side. Future Noah can deal with these problems. Present Noah was going to fucking sleep.

Mercifully, sleep did take him and he woke up a while later by the smell of pancakes and bacon. His stomach growled angrily, and he pushed himself off the bed despite how invitingly warm it had been. His shirt was now crumpled and wrinkled, but honestly, who cared. There was breakfast waiting for him.

He hobbled into the dining room, yawning. All three Hughes's had been already seated, plates packed to the brim.

Maes's smirk greeted him as Noah slumped into his own chair. "Look who decided to wake up."

"Yep," he replied dryly, taking his empty plate and shoveling food onto it.

Elycia who sat next to him giggled. "Your hair looks funny."

He reached up self consciously and felt the locks that had been sticking up. He tried to smooth it down while forking a perfect pancake bite into his mouth. These were Gracia's handiwork and he was grateful he wasn't there to screw it up.

"I heard you found your friend," came Gracia's cheerful voice. She had a pot of coffee and poured a generous mug of it. She pushed it toward her husband and he eagerly slurped some up.

Through the hazy sleepiness, Noah registered Gracia's smiling face and his mood instantly brightened. "Yeah. I'm glad."

"You have to bring her 'round," she said then, the sentence aimed at both Maes and Noah. "I'd love to meet her and have her over for dinner."

Maes grimaced, his expression faltering slightly. "I don't know if that's a possibility, honey."

Noah lifted his head from his plate at that. "Why not?"

Maes regarded him then, a strained smile on his face. "With your...situation _..._ it's a bit complicated," he replied, mindful of his phrasing in front of his family, "Roy and I are working on it, but until things have been cleared, our hands are tied."

Noah recalled the talk he and Ivy had with Mustang yesterday. Right. They didn't belong in this world. Unfortunately, the government doesn't care whether that was by choice or not. Laws were laws. Annoyingly. He nodded to show he understood.

Maes gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it too much. It'll be fine."

Noah hoped he was right.

* * *

Noah and Hughes made their way back to HQ after breakfast and this time, with little issue up front. The officers posted at the entrance recognized him immediately and begrudgingly let him through a second time without ID. Noah wondered when or if he'd get one soon if just to get those asshats off his case. Hughes had told him he had more business to attend to and he was free to go see Ivy in the meantime, but just to be sure to check in with Mustang sometime during the visit. Noah nodded and watched until Hughes disappeared down the opposite hall and made a beeline for the dormitories. He'd go meet up with Mustang later.

It took a while to find the right staircase, but he eventually did, and made his descent down. Every hall looked the same, but thankfully after having walked them the few times he had, he was beginning to get the hang of where to go. When he reached the dorm floor, he looked at the room numbers to figure out the way.

After having walked down the wrong hall, he finally managed to find the right one and paused at the door marked 122. He raised his hand to knock initially, but was surprised upon hearing laughter behind the door. He changed plans and tried the doorknob, being pleasantly surprised when finding it was unlocked. He twisted it and walked in.

The first thing he saw was Ivy and another man hunched over the kitchen counter, engaged in a seemingly pleasant exchange. Upon hearing the door though, the man twisted around quickly, hand on his hip. He saw it was Fuery, the meek guy from Mustang's crew. It was then that he realized his hand had pulled out a pistol and was almost ready to aim until he saw Noah's face.

Fuery heaved a heavy, relieved—albeit shaky— sigh as he re-holstered the gun at his hip. "Mr. Shasta! You scared me half to death!"

Noah couldn't help the sheepish smile that appeared on his face. He scratched the back of his head. "Sorry?" He didn't understand 1. Why Fuery was here in the first place and 2. Why he felt the need to pull his gun out.

Ivy thankfully filled in the gaps for him. "Oh! Sorry," she rushed, pushing herself to stand up straight. "Um, Kain was ordered to keep an eye on me and it was really, _really_ late and I couldn't sleep, so I was like, 'would you like a cup of coffee'?" She summarized. She turned to him with a beaming smile. "And he's very lovely company!"

Fuery—or 'Kain', he guessed— smiled bashfully. "As are you, Miss Ivy."

Noah felt like he could make do without the extra details, but he got the gist of it. Mustang was keeping her on surveillance. And he supposed Hughes was keeping tabs on him. The notion of being watched closely bugged him, but he couldn't bring himself to be annoyed at Hughes, so in his mind he had no problems shifting all the blame to Mustang. "Right," he said, confirming his understanding.

Fuery was the first to speak. "I'll leave you two to it," he said, sensing the awkwardness that was bound to arise. "Thank you for your hospitality," he said to Ivy who immediately shook her head.

"Thank _you_ for the company," she replied cheerfully.

Noah stepped aside and let Fuery put on his shoes that he left at the door. Fuery took the blue military coat from the coat rack and put himself back in uniform before giving a small bow and closing the door behind him. "So," Noah started, "couldn't sleep either?"

Ivy gave a sheepish smile and shook her head. "No. How about you?"

"No," he echoed. At least the feeling of discomfort was mutual.

Ivy turned and reached into the cupboard behind her. She had to go on her tip-toes, but eventually she reached in and procured a mug. She began spooning in some sort of brown stuff before filling a kettle full of water and then pushing the switch on. It began roaring to life, bubbling noisily. She turned back to him, leaning on the counter.

"I'm sure you'd like the cliff-notes for the story, huh?" She asked knowingly. Noah nodded, slipping into the chair at the opposite side of the kitchen counter.

"Please."

For the next few minutes, Ivy spun a tale of two brothers who just wanted to see their mother's smile again. She spoke of alchemy, of the two prodigies, and the tragedy that ensued. She explained of the travels, of the characters, and the enemies that appear. Upon hearing about the homunculi and of the horrid wars and human experimentation, he was floored. Ivy watched this show for _fun?_ It was way darker than he had anticipated. He didn't think Ivy would be into that sort of thing.

Between the explanation, Ivy had filled the two mugs with what he realized was instant coffee and pushed one mug to him. He knew she was trying to be nice, so he felt too awkward declining when she had made the effort to make him an entire cup, so he forced himself to nod a 'thanks' and then took a hesitant sip, tensing and waiting for the gross, bitter taste. To his surprise, it wasn't that bad. It still had that underlying bitterness that made the aftertaste horrible, but overall it was sweeter, easier to sip on. When he put the mug down, he realized it was a shade of tan instead of the dark black that Hughes drank.

When she saw his grimace after drinking, she paused in the middle of an unnecessary anecdote about some sort of 'Tringham' brothers that had impersonated Edward and Alphonse. "Sorry. Don't like it?"

When seeing her disappointed face, he quickly waved her off. "No, no; I'm sure it's fine. I just don't really drink coffee is all," he explained, not wanting to offend her.

Her face brightened in relief. "Oh, okay. Too bitter, then?" She asked and he nodded sheepishly. She swiped the mug away and took out the spoon. She turned and he saw her spooning in more sugar and then opened the fridge to get some milk. She poured a glob of it in and stirred, putting the milk away. She turned back toward him and took an experimental sip on the opposite side he had been drinking on. Her nose wrinkled up in apparent distaste as she pushed it back toward him. "Mm. Tastes like diabetes," she mused sarcastically making Noah snort. "Try it now."

He did as told, eyeing the much lighter shade of beige before him and took another hesitant sip. His eyebrows raised as the taste didn't make him want to spit it back out. It was much sweeter, much easier to drink now that he couldn't taste the coffee. He nodded eagerly, actually taking a long drink off the mug. "Yep. Much better."

She rolled her eyes, taking a drink off her much darker cup. "Anyway, as I was saying, there were these two brothers, right? They were pretending to be Ed and Al—with good intentions for something I'll tell you about later—but that caused problems for _obvious_ reasons _..._ "

Noah listened carefully, trying to keep up with her haphazard way of story-telling and her off-topic tangents that included unnecessary information, but he thought he got the most of it. There were two versions of the story, with confusing plot points and changes he couldn't commit to memory. The homunculi were a very evil, very dangerous group that raised mayhem for personal gain that had weird powers and were basically immortal. Edward and Alphonse, although they fucked up, save the world.

Remembering the brothers, however, gave him pause. All they wanted was to see their mother again. As much as he wanted to be disappointed and upset about trying to create human life in such a crude way, he couldn't blame them. He understood the feeling all too well.

Gracia's face flashed in his mind and he furrowed his brows. Surely she couldn't just be a character. Not when she looks like...

"Wait," he said suddenly, making Ivy stop mid-explanation about something called automail.

"Yeah?" She asked. Her expression turned worried. "Did I confuse you? I'm sorry, I'm really trying to make it easy to follow, but it's really hard to condense all the—"

"No, not that," he said, cutting her off. "You mentioned something about this world being parallel to ours, right?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"So, parallel as in, it's like a mirror?" He tried. How was he supposed to word this without telling her?

Her brows pinched together. "I mean, I guess?" She said, unsure. "What are you trying to get at?"

He took a sip of his now cold sweet drink, trying to figure the words in his head. "Would you say there's a possibility of people being...copied?" Ugh. This wasn't going well.

Her brows furrowed together deeper. "Noah, what are you asking? Just say it," she said, sensing he was holding back information.

He cursed under his breath. He was going to have to say it. He looked away, staring at a far point at the wall opposite her. "Hughes's wife looks exactly like my mom," he confessed, "I thought it was actually her when I first saw her, but that's impossible because she's dead."

He felt it then. He didn't even need to look over to know she was giving him that dumb look of pity, the exact look he was trying so hard to avoid. "Oh, Noah..." she whispered.

"Stop," he said, knowing the eventual 'I'm sorry' line he was bound to be given. "She died a long time ago. Just—is it possible?"

He saw her fidget, as if wanting to push the subject, but thankfully she let it go. "Yes," she answered finally, "Doubles do exist here, according to the 2003 version. For every person on our side of the Gate, there should be a double here. I'm surprised you found one already, never mind _who_ the double is."

He nodded. So it wasn't a coincidence.

"When did she die?" She asked. He turned to look at her. Her eyes were still filled with sympathy, but to her credit, he noticed she tried to not let it show.

"I was twelve," he answered simply. "Her name was Gwen."

She nodded, fighting back the instinctual 'my condolences' from spilling out her mouth. They sat in silence for a little bit, each nursing their now cold cups of coffee. He watched as she held the mug almost reverently, both hands clutched around it as if hugging the cup between her fingertips.

"Do you have any siblings?" Ivy asked suddenly. Confused at the sudden question, he shook his head. She smiled then into the remaining liquid in her cup. "I do. Her name is Naomi and I would do absolutely anything to make her smile."

He could practically feel the love that poured from her voice. "How old is she?"

"Seven," she answered. "She turns eight on January 15th."

"Why'd you tell me that?" He asked, genuinely curious. He drained the remaining coffee in his cup.

She broke out into a grin then and he noticed that two dimples popped out as she did so. "Well, you told me about your mom, so I figured I'd tell you something about my family," she chirped cheerfully, "Equivalent Exchange! If we're going to be here for a bit, we may as well start living by their rules, right?"

He couldn't help the laugh that spilled out of his mouth at that. Once he calmed down so he was chuckling, he eyed the small girl in front of him. "You're so weird, you know that?"

A blush dusted across her cheeks. "Are you making fun of me?" A cheek puffed out as she looked at him with embarrassed irritation.

He smirked at her. "Not at all, Ives."

An entirely new blush enveloped her cheeks as she angrily swiped the mug away, turning around and turning on the sink. "Whatever," she mumbled.

* * *

Ivy had taken it upon herself to explain the things she experienced in the short week she's arrived. She had mentioned the Scar incident before, but the chimera hideaway was an entirely different story. She tried not talking about it all together, but when Noah noticed the two reports she had hastily written out earlier, she had no choice but to come clean.

"Fuck, Ives, I'm sorry," Noah lamented, his face an expression of worry, sympathy, and exasperation. "I had a cake walk in comparison to you."

Ivy felt her face blush at the familiar nickname once again and waved it off. "What's done is done," she told him. The grimace in his face was all that needed to be said as they lapsed into silence as they walked. Fuery was ahead of them, leading them through the halls of HQ and to Mustang's office, much to her relief. She knew if she attempted to navigate the halls, she'd only get lost.

She had thought the nickname was a one-time slip-up, but when he had said it again, she realized it was there to stay. It didn't make her uncomfortable, per-say, it was just jarring to hear it come from someone who was still a relative stranger. Ives was something only her family and close friends had called her. In fact, it usually annoyed her when others who were not close to her referred to her as that. She debated asking Noah not to use it, but she decided against it, realizing how refreshing it was to hear again. She had been worried about the prospect of being stuck with a stranger and was _forced_ to stay with. She worried Noah would have ended up someone she couldn't get along with. She figured allowing him to call her by such a treasured nickname was a step in the direction of friendship. They'd be stuck together for a bit, so they may as well become friends in the meantime.

She frowned, remembering home and the memories that came along with it. She thought of her parents, if they were worried and getting along, or if Naomi understood what happened. She thought of Ashley, and her comforting smiles and sardonic humor. Suddenly, the image of her best friend filled her mind and she felt her heart ache.

 _I miss you,_ she thought sullenly at the picture of her in her imagination. She felt a sad smile lift at the corners of her mouth as she recalled the last conversation she had with her. _Hopefully you didn't fail that math final._

Ivy soured then, trying to recall the last conversations she had with her loved ones. She hadn't managed to call her childhood best friend—practically sister—in a week because of how busy she became. She hadn't a chance to hug Naomi goodbye before dropping her off at school that day. She felt tears prick at her eyes at thinking of the last thing she ever said to her father: a simple text reading, _Can you come pick me up?_

Why hadn't she had said 'I love you' at least? Why didn't she just give a simple phone call to her friend? Why hadn't she given Ashley a hug before they parted ways, or even asked her for a ride home? If she had just asked for that damn ride home, none of this would have happened!

She felt herself getting upset and she wiped at tears that threatened to fall. She knew it was futile to be upset at all of this. There was no way she could have possibly anticipated what was to come. She glanced at her companion beside her, studying his profile. What were the last things he had said to his loved ones? Was he going through the same frustration she was?

 _That's it,_ she decided in her head, _I will never regret my last words to someone ever again. If I see my family and friends again, I will tell them 'I love you' every single day._ She blinked, then, at her own thought. _**When**_ _I see my family and friends again,_ she hastily corrected. She couldn't afford to even _consider_ the possibility of not going back.

Soon they rounded the turn toward the large double-wooden doors and she saw the plaque that read ROY MUSTANG. Fuery politely opened the door out for the two of them and they walked in. It was much emptier now, only two other occupants in it. Lieutenant Hawkeye was posted at her desk in the far back and a new face turned to see her. She recognized it to be Vato Falman, the one she had missed yesterday.

"You must be Miss Thompson and Mr. Shasta," he said easily, pulling his tired face into a smile. The thin gray hair on his head was pin-straight and she wasn't sure if the gray had been because of age or stress. Upon seeing the bags under his eyes, she guessed the latter.

"It's nice to meet you, Warrant Officer Falman," she greeted, adopting a small bow, as she learned it was a polite custom in Amestris. She nudged Noah with her arm and he tipped his head down, leaning only slightly forward, giving her a look as though she was crazy.

Falman laughed and the sound betrayed the tired nature he seemed to exude. "How polite! The pleasure is all mine," he replied, a lilting chuckle in his voice.

"Is there anything you need help with?" Came Riza's voice and Ivy nearly jumped at seeing her stand beside Falman. She hadn't even heard her stand up from her desk.

"Oh! Um..." She fumbled with the papers in her hands. "I have the, uh, reports Colonel Roy wanted..." She held them out to the older woman. "I'm not sure if I did it right, but I included everything I could remember."

Then, she did something Ivy hadn't seen since she's been here. Riza smiled. "Thank you for being so prompt," she told her, the dazzling smile not leaving her face. Ivy felt herself blush at the sight.

 _Ms. Riza is gorgeous,_ she thought.

It's not like she _hadn't_ noticed before, since, well, if you could _look_ at her, you'd know. She was one of those kind of beauties where words did no justice. However, seeing her smile, Ivy became even more aware of the beauty of the woman before her and wondered how Mustang got any work done with her around.

She glanced down at the handgun at the woman's hip and remembered the encounter yesterday. Ah. Right. That's how.

"Um," she started, looking up at the woman. "I was wondering where Edward and Alphonse are?"

"They're busy," came the deep voice of Mustang. Both teens turned their attention at the new voice and saw Mustang enter the room, closing off his private office. He walked toward them, adopting his usual position, to Hawkeye's left so she was at his right. He eyed the papers in the lieutenant's arms. "What's that?"

"The reports, sir," Fuery piped up cheerfully.

Mustang looked vaguely surprised, his brows raising slightly. "That was quick."

She nodded, fidgeting. "So, Ed and Al...?"

He trained his dark eyes back to her. "Fullmetal has his own reports to finish," he replied coolly. "Is there something you need help with?"

Her shoulders slumped. So it would be a while until she could ask Ed and Al the one thing she needed. "No, it's okay. I'll wait until they're done with work."

"In that case," Mustang began, glancing at the two. "We can finish the paperwork we started yesterday."

Both Ivy and Noah winced.

* * *

The remaining paperwork wasn't as detailed as the first time. They had put their fingerprints in ink and placed them on their general files, along with giving blood types. They had also taken their ID pictures, much to Ivy's chagrin. If she had known, she would have put more effort into her appearance. Now she was stuck with her tired, slightly startled looking ID picture. Upon seeing the sallowness in her face, she soured, missing the convenience of foundation and concealer, and honestly, makeup in general.

What was insanely cool was seeing the old, bulky cameras. It was fascinating to see the old box and she marveled that color photography was a thing in 1915, even if the colors weren't properly saturated yet. She didn't exactly know the history of cameras, or was very interested in photography specifically, but seeing all the old technology in use around her satisfied her curiosities. She definitely missed the convenience of her iPhone and of _computers,_ admittedly, but it was still very cool. It was like she lived in a museum, except the museum was the whole world.

She was in the midst of signing very messy, inconsistent signatures on the spaces she was told, when a laminated card was tossed in front of her. She paused, putting down the pen, and took it. _Ivy Thompson_ it read, with her picture and some miscellaneous information written on it. She looked up and spotted Hawkeye.

"Your ID," she said, answering the question she was about to be asked. "It's not official yet, and the citizenship is still in consideration, but we managed to pull a few strings and you no longer have to fear residing here illegally."

Ivy felt pure joy swell in her chest as she stared at the tiny card in her hands. "And Noah?" She asked, the excitement making her voice rise slightly in tone.

She nodded. "The same for him as well."

Ivy couldn't help herself. She jumped up from her chair, wrapping her arms around the older woman tightly. "Thank you, thank you, _thank_ you!" She cheered.

The woman tensed upon the sudden embrace, but eventually patted the younger girl's shoulders. "You're welcome," she said, her awkwardness emanating in her voice.

Ivy reluctantly released the woman in front of her to see one of her smiles. This one was a bit uneasy, but it was a smile nonetheless and Ivy decided she'd like to see it more often.

Mustang exited his office then, clueless to what had just transpired. He glanced down at the card in the girl's hands. He went straight to business. "This is a temporary card, until we work something out with the Immigration Department. Luckily you're a minor—" he was cut off abruptly as Ivy leapt out to him as well, hugging him tightly, making him grunt at the sudden impact.

"Thank you, Colonel Roy!" She cried, burying her face in his navy blue jacket.

Mustang paled, staring down at the girl wrapped around him in utter confusion and shock. "You're...welcome?" His arms were still raised above him and it looked like he didn't know what to do with his hands.

"Did you get your card, Miss Ivy?" Came Fuery's voice and Ivy whipped her head around, releasing Mustang and flocking over to the younger man, much to the Colonel's relief.

"Yes!" She exclaimed triumphantly, hugging the Sergeant as well. He laughed and humored her by returning the sentiment.

The door opened, a familiar head of messy black hair returning from the bathroom. Ivy didn't miss a beat, running over, actually bouncing up and down in her joy. "Noah, Noah!" she said hurriedly, holding out her card for him to see. "We're not illegal anymore! We won't get deported!"

Noah snorted, fishing out his card from his pocket. "I know." Ivy flung her arms around him as well. No one will be without a hug today.

Mustang, Hawkeye, and Fuery only watched as the girl before them buzzed with excitement and chattered on endlessly. They also watched in amusement as she bombarded their unsuspecting coworkers with embraces when they finally came in for their shifts.

* * *

 **Fluff! I'm choking on it!**

 **But it goes down easier with that little bit of mystery...**

 **Can anyone guess the reference I made in the chapter title? Brownie points to anyone who does!**

 **Until Next Chap!**


	14. In for Five, Out for Seven

**Chapter 13: In for Five, Out for Seven**

 ** _WARNING: LONGEST CHAPTER YET!_**

* * *

Ivy couldn't help staring at the ID in her hands with glee. She had been so stressed and now, she didn't need to be!

Well, she still had to stress because it was only temporary. And she had to worry about the whole homunculi thing. And the keeping the timeline/story thing. And the whole 'how-the-hell-do-we-get-home' thing.

She felt a nagging headache try to resurface and she wished she had brought the pain pills she still had with her to Mustang's office.

"So, you want to learn alchemy?" Noah asked. She just relayed her epiphany she had last night—or this morning, technically—to him.

She nodded. "Yeah. I don't know why it didn't occur to me before. Alchemy brought us here, so alchemy must be the way back."

He hummed in thought, drumming his fingers on the desk in front of him. Riza gave them permission to sit by it, accounting everyone else had work to do and no other seats were available. Ivy thought about the couches in Mustang's office, but Riza said no, saying he didn't need any more excuses to put off the paperwork he had been ignoring as of late.

"Run that by me again," Noah said eventually, confused, "How did alchemy bring us here?"

Ivy grimaced, her shoulders slumping. "I don't really know," she admitted, "Alchemy died out, like, centuries ago and—" she stopped herself mid-sentence, glancing cautiously at the four men in the room with them. She quieted her voice to a whisper. "It died on our side of the Gate," she continued, "So I have no clue how alchemy suddenly worked. I mean, why? Out of all those years, out of everyone it could have worked for, random homeless dude?"

"Yeah, it doesn't make sense," he concurred, frowning, "And you say it was human transmutation?"

"I think so?" She groaned, hanging her head in disappointment. "Ugh, why is this so—so—"

"Random?" Noah guessed.

"Yeah!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "And difficult and stupid and—"

Ivy was cut off by the sound of the doors being slammed open. "NOAH, MY BOY!"

Noah cringed at the loud noise, turning toward the opened door. "Hughes, I'm right here," he said, "There's no need to yell."

The man grinned. "But it's so dead in here!" He protested, walking up to Havoc and shaking him pointedly. " _Someone's_ gotta wake these lazy goofs up!"

"Hey! Maj—Lieutenant Colonel, stop that!" Havoc was futilely trying to slap Hughes's prodding hands away from his cheeks. "And for the record, we've done plenty of work so far!"

" _We've_ done a lot of work so far," came Breda's sarcastic tone, "You sat there and spaced out while we were unpacking."

"I've got a lot of things to think about," came his answer. Breda rolled his eyes.

As Hughes and the other officers bantered playfully, Ivy felt her chest tighten. She watched him, laughing and joking, his hazel eyes shining behind his glasses. She glanced at Noah to see him looking on and interjecting a few comments here and there. He was smiling easily, relaxed now that Hughes was in the room.

He was so alive.

 _Don't even think about it,_ came her Inner Voice immediately.

Ivy soured at the familiar, nagging voice. _I wasn't thinking of anything,_ she thought back.

 _Regardless, Maes Hughes dies._

Ivy flinched at how ruthless her own thoughts sounded.

 _You can't do anything about it. You can't mess with fate._

She looked back at the jovial man before her.

 _It's terrible,_ her Inner Voice lamented, the sadness seeping into the words, _He seems like a kind man. But you aren't here to change anything. You_ can't _change anything. Destinies must follow their paths. And unfortunately, that man must die in order for the world to be saved. Did you forget already?_

Ivy knew that Maes Hughes' death was a turning point in the series. He's the one who spurs Mustang to follow the leads that Hughes discovered and that leads to the series of events that unfolds. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. What kind of fucked up person was she that she was going to stand by and let someone be killed?

"Ivy," Hughes said, snapping her out of her inner conflict. She straightened, quickly blinking her tears away.

"Y-yes?"

"The word on the block says you've got your ID now," he said cheerfully.

Ivy was confused. Why was he bringing it up? "Um, yes, sir, I do. So does Noah," she answered.

He chuckled. "There's no need to be so formal," he told her. "Call me Maes, please."

"Okay," she mumbled. It felt so weird to call adults by their first names. It was awkward on her lips, like when teachers insist on being called by their first names instead of Mr/Mrs. Blank.

"My wife has been begging for me to bring you over for dinner," he began, "And I can't bare to say no to her. So you're coming over for the day."

"Wha-?" Ivy shook her hands in front of her dismissively. "No, no! It's okay Mr. Hughes—"

"Maes," he corrected.

"Mr. Maes," she compromised, "It's alright. I don't want to impose." More importantly, she felt just plain _wrong_ going to the house of a man she was going to let die.

"Oh please. Gracia is dying to meet you!"

Ivy opened her mouth to protest again when Hughes marched over, grabbed hold of both Noah and Ivy's hands, and began hauling them to the door. "TELL ROY I'M BORROWING THE KIDS FOR A BIT!" He yelled to the crew.

"Lieutenant Colonel, wait—!"

But it was too late. The door slammed closed behind them and he was off, dragging the two down the halls.

* * *

And so, that was how Ivy was stood in front of the Hughes's home, awkwardly shifting her weight from foot to foot.

Hughes lived close and the small talk he had tried to strike up in the car ride there only made her feel guiltier and guiltier as they trudged on. He was so impossibly nice and she had the information to save him and she wasn't going to. Every atom in her heart was screaming to do so, to warn him, to tell him what to avoid, but in turn her mind was screaming at her to let it happen and let the timeline go as it may. Needless to say, it was an impossible battle of wills inside her.

The moment Hughes opened the door, a small blur flew out and attached itself to his legs. "Daddy!" Cheered the tiny blur. In an instant, Hughes bent down and swooped her up into his arms, making her give out a delighted shriek. He turned to her, toddler balanced on his hip.

"Ivy, this is my darling Elycia," he greeted. He turned his attention to the girl in his arms who already began to stare. "Elycia, this is Ivy, Noah's friend."

Elycia stared wide-eyed at the girl before her, her green eyes boring into her as she absorbed and memorized the features of her face. A smile so wide Ivy was sure her cheeks would split, she pointed and said, "You're pretty."

Ivy instantly broke out into a smile, her heart warming at the girl in his arms. "And _you_ look just like a princess," she replied, not skipping a beat.

She wasn't sure if Elycia's smile could grow bigger. "Really?!" She gasped, squirming out of her father's arms. He put her down hurriedly. Elycia immediately ran toward Ivy, grabbing at a hand and pulling her inside. "Come on, come on, come _on!"_ she squealed, "I wanna show you something!"

Ivy laughed, shooting an apologetic smile at Hughes and Noah as she pushed by them, tugged by the ball of energy. She was carted toward the mahogany table in what Ivy guessed was the living room. Crayons and papers with drawings laid scattered haphazardly around it. Elycia looked around, pushing through a stack of papers on the couch. The little girl eventually came across what she was looking for and turned to the older girl excitedly, shoving the paper toward her.

"This is me as a princess and Mommy and Daddy as the King and Queen," she told her, pointing to each stick figure in her explanation. They had yellow crowns above their heads, the Elycia princess wearing a pink dress that looked like a hastily added blob over the legs.

Noah had saddled up next to Ivy, bending down and sitting on the floor near the table, like her and Elycia had been. He had to move a few drawings before sitting on the carpet.

Ivy noticed another stick figure behind the trio of the Hughes family. The face Elycia had drawn on it was frowning and looked either sad, or mad, she couldn't tell which. "Who's that?"

"Noah!"

Ivy couldn't help the giggle that came out of her mouth as Noah flinched, his cheeks turning an impressive shade of red. She clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling her last giggle into an unattractive snort.

"Why is he frowning?" She asked, stealing glances at the boy Elycia had so masterfully recreated on paper.

"Because that's the face he's always making," she answered immediately, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Like this!" Elycia then screwed her face up into a scowl, giving an exaggerated frown.

If Noah wasn't blushing before, he was certainly glowing red now.

Ivy exploded into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"It sure is lively in here," came a new voice.

Ivy jumped to her feet, nearly slipping on a wayward paper. "I'm sorry, I—"

Gracia laughed then, cutting off the apology. "It's alright," she said, moving forward. "I'm Gracia. You must be Ivy, correct?"

Ivy forced a smile, walking over to clasp her hand in the one outstretched to her. Gracia's green eyes sparkled and she wondered why they seemed so familiar, when she remembered what Noah had told her earlier today. They were familiar because they looked just like Noah's.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hughes," Ivy told her, bowing slightly again. "Thank you so much for inviting me for dinner."

She heard a snicker come from above her and then felt hands pushing her to stand straight. "Please. There's no need to be so formal." Ivy straightened to be met with Gracia's smiling face. "And please call me Gracia."

Ivy peered at the tiny kitchen behind the woman, seeing miscellaneous food items spread over the countertop. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Suddenly something tugged at her hand and she looked down to see the pouting face of Elycia.

The woman shook her head, laughing. "It's alright, I'm just making dinner. You're the guest of honor, please relax. Besides, I think someone wants you all to herself for now."

Elycia nodded vehemently. Ivy couldn't help the grin from spreading across her face.

"I can help," Noah offered. Both girls turned to see the boy standing, walking over to the kitchen.

Gracia brightened into another smile. "Why, thank you, Noah."

Ivy was surprised to see an easy smile appear on his face.

* * *

For the next hour or so, Ivy was holed up with Elycia in the living room, doodling, while Noah and Gracia were in the kitchen. Hughes was in the bedroom, reading over a few things, probably working on stuff he had brought home. It had been fun, in a weird way. She couldn't remember the last time she had used crayons and just aimlessly drew whatever. Elycia was also the most adorable thing she had ever seen.

As she observed Elycia attempting to draw something that looked like a potato with purple sparkles, she couldn't help stealing glances into the kitchen where Noah and Gracia were. He was laughing easily, blushing, fumbling over his words. It was like he had changed into an entirely different person from the one she's seen so far. He always seemed so distant, so...guarded. She thought back to what Elycia had pointed out—the frown that seemed to always be on his face. He always did seem to be upset about something or the other. Ivy was sure it had been the stress of everything that has happened—Ivy had been prone to letting it get to her— but seeing the laughing, almost shy guy who struggled in the kitchen, she wasn't so sure.

She sighed. She just didn't understand the guy.

 _Why couldn't I get stuck with Ashley instead,_ she thought, pouting. At least Ivy _knew_ her.

With horror, she quickly shook her head at herself. What was she thinking? She would never wish this upon someone she loved! This world was dangerous and she wouldn't forgive herself if something had happened to Ashley.

"Ivy?"

She snapped out of her daydream, blinking at the tiny voice who called her back to earth. She saw Elycia's confused stare and quickly plastered a smile on her face. "Sorry, Elycia, I was spacing out," she told the young girl, shifting her position on the floor to face her properly. "What were you saying?"

"Who's that?" She asked, pointing at the paper in front of her.

Ivy looked down at the paper she had been doodling on and was surprised when she saw she had drawn Ashley. With long, yellow hair and big blue eyes. It wasn't a masterpiece by any stretch, but it was what her friend would have looked like had she been animated. Back in her anime days, Ivy had quite the collection of 'how to draw manga' and other books of the same caliber. Her skills got rusty after not having drawn in so long, but it was still recognizable.

"That's my best friend, Ashley," she told the young girl.

"She's pretty," Elycia chirped.

Ivy smiled sadly. "Yeah. She is."

"Can you draw me?!" Elycia suddenly exclaimed, bouncing in her seat. "You're so good!"

Ivy couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips at seeing the child's easy excitement. It reminded her of all the numerous times Naomi had asked her to draw her or about anything she could think of. "Sure."

"Yay!"

Ivy spent the next few minutes dutifully drawing the girl in front of her, as promised. She drew the almost curly, light brown hair that stuck out haphazardly from her pigtails. As she continued, tracing out a bright smile and outlining the big, green eyes Ivy couldn't help but begin noticing the similarities between the young girl and Noah. Their eyes were the same, as was Gracia's, and she noticed that Elycia also had the wavy, almost curly mess of hair. It was light brown, almost dirty blonde, instead of the black Noah's was, but it was definitely the same. Ivy glanced back at the woman in the kitchen. Her hair was straight, only curving in at her chin from her bob. Where did this curly hair come from? Hughes also had straight hair.

As she colored in the overalls that Elycia was wearing, she stole glances at the two in the kitchen. Gracia was Noah's mom's double. The resemblance was supposedly so accurate he had thought it was his actual mom. Eyeing her profile, she tried to place the similarities. If her hair was darker, maybe? Elycia was like a carbon copy of the woman, but Noah's features were too manly to place the familiarity other than the eyes.

"Oh, I love it!" Came Elycia's squeal. Ivy turned back to the girl who had snatched the paper from beneath her hands and was now hugging it to her chest.

Ivy smiled at her.

Elycia's eyes shined brightly as she spotted something from behind the older girl. She burst from her seat, running toward the new source of interest. "Daddy, daddy, look what Ivy made me!"

Ivy turned around to see that Hughes had appeared again. He had changed out of his military uniform, dressed in some simple slacks and a white button up. He chuckled as Elycia hurriedly tried shoving the paper into his hands. "Okay, okay," he said, taking the paper and looking at it. His eyes widened upon seeing it, a smile easing onto his face. "You drew this, Ivy?"

Ivy felt an embarrassed flush on her cheeks as Elycia nodded emphatically. "She's so good, right?!" Came the child's excited chatter.

"She is," Hughes confirmed, making Ivy let out a nervous chuckle, playing with a lock of hair. "Did you say 'thank you'?" He questioned with a slight reprimanding tone.

Elycia spun around, smiling sheepishly at Ivy. "Thank you," she said in sing song.

Ivy couldn't help the grin on her face. She was just so cute! "You're very welcome."

"I'm gonna show Mommy!" She excitedly announced, skipping to the kitchen.

Both Ivy and Hughes laughed as she bounced out of the room.

"Elycia sure has taken a liking to you," Hughes said, catching Ivy's attention.

"I've taken a liking to her too," Ivy said, smiling in the direction the little girl ran off too.

Hughes sat down on the couch heavily, beginning to gather the mess that his daughter had left in her wake. Ivy rushed to help him, gathering crayons that lay scattered around the table. "You're very good with children," he commented, picking up the few potato drawings.

"I have a big family," Ivy explained, placing crayons back in their carton, "I had to watch all my little cousins." Hughes hummed in response, straightening the stack of papers in his hands and then moving to help with the various markers. They cleaned in silence for a bit, the only sounds coming from the kitchen. Elycia chattered excitedly to both Noah and Gracia. Gracia juggled the conversation and making dinner expertly, the pans sizzling.

"I also have a little sister," Ivy eventually admitted, her voice quiet.

"What was her name?" Hughes asked.

"Naomi," Ivy responded, "She's a little bit older than Elycia." Overcome by the image of the little girl in mind, with dark hair so long it went down her back and in braids, she found her mouth moving on its own accord. "She's a lot shier than Elycia and only gets very hyper when around me." She smiled to herself remembering the little girl's goofy smile. "She's so freakin' smart it's almost scary! I used to read to her all the time to get her to go to bed and now it's all she wants to do. She's the fastest reader in her class and she always comes back home with more books than she can carry."

Hughes was silent as Ivy continued on about her sister.

"She's so sweet—She would follow me around like a little puppy and try to mimic everything I did," she said, "Sometimes it was annoying, and I'd try to get her to do her own thing, but then she would give me this _look_ with her bottom lip out and I'd cave almost immediately. I swear, she has me wrapped around her little finger."

She reached for another crayon to put away and found the mess had been cleared.

"You must really love her," came Hughes' voice.

Ivy blinked, realizing everything she had told him. She felt embarrassed then, having babbled nonsensically. "Sorry," she said automatically.

"Don't apologize," he said, his voice warm, "Naomi is very lucky to have a sister who cares so much about her."

Looking into his kind hazel eyes, she remembered why he was such a treasured character.

"Dinner's ready," Gracia announced, her head peeking out of the doorway.

Hughes broke out into a grin. "Fantastic!"

Ivy followed the older man into the kitchen that in turn led to the dining table. She saw four chairs, and an extra one on the very end that was obviously put there to accommodate the extra plate. Ivy's mouth immediately began to water as she surveyed the mahogany dining table and the various serving platters in the middle.

"Sit next to me!" Elycia basically commanded, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the chair at the end of the table. The little girl climbed on the chair to her right and beamed at her. Ivy shook her head, chuckling. She was thankful that Naomi was relatively calm in comparison to this hyperactive little girl; had she matched Elycia's energy, Ivy would be dead trying to keep up.

The Hughes family ambled up to their respective chairs. Noah sat to her left while Elycia was to her right. Hughes decided to sit next to his daughter and Gracia buzzed around the table, a plate in her hands. She placed pieces of meat, some angel hair pasta, and a dinner roll on it. Then she poured a generous amount of light colored gravy over the meat. She walked to where Ivy was sitting and placed the plate that was packed to the brim in front of her.

"Here you are, honey," she told her.

"O-oh, thank you," Ivy stammered, staring at the plate in front of her.

Gracia moved to sit in the remaining chair next to Noah and stared at Ivy with a beaming smile, hands clasped in front of her. Everyone else had begun to move, putting what they wanted on their plates, and began eating. Gracia did not.

Ivy hesitantly grabbed the fork, twirling some pasta onto it. She lifted it, unsure, still looking at Gracia who was smiling encouragingly at her. She placed it into her mouth.

Her tastebuds lit to life as the creamy sauce landed on her tongue and she began chewing eagerly. She swallowed. "This tastes amazing, Mrs. Gracia!" She exclaimed. "Thank you!"

Gracia sighed, as if relieved, her smile bigger than ever. "I'm glad to hear it," she said. Then after watching Ivy begin eating again, she started making her plate.

The pasta was finished very quickly and Ivy moved to put more on her plate. The gravy had spilled onto her dinner roll, but it tasted great as well and she didn't mind. She was excited to get a real meal for the first time since being in Amestris and went to take more bites of dinner. As they ate, the Hughes's made idle chatter. Ivy would interject a few times, when someone asked her something, but other than that both Ivy and Noah ate in silence, listening quietly to the Hughes's.

She found herself watching Gracia and Noah, trying to place the familiarity once again. The hair was what threw her, but when Hughes had begin laughing at something Noah said, she realized it. Maes had black hair like Noah. And looking at their profiles, she was beginning to see a similarity in the way their noses sloped, how their jaws were formed. If Ivy hadn't known better, looking at the four of them this way, she would have thought Noah was part of the family.

She felt her heart squeeze. She suddenly felt very homesick.

"What do you think, Ivy?"

The question pulled her out of her thoughts. She blinked, seeing all four at the table staring at her expectantly. "Huh?"

"Elycia here says cake is better than pie," Hughes explained, "Noah and I agree that pie is the obvious better choice."

"Nuh uh!" Came an indignant Elycia, arms crossed over her chest. "Cake is better!" She turned to Ivy with big, green puppy dog eyes. "Tell them, Ivy!"

Ivy looked at Gracia pleadingly. The woman raised her hands in surrender. "I'm having no part in this debate," she said, "I like to make both."

She suddenly felt very on the spot with Noah and Elycia staring at her intently.

"Um, I-I like cake," she confessed.

"Yay!" Elycia cheered the same time Noah yelled out, "What?!"

Ivy blushed. "I just haven't found a pie I liked yet..."

Noah stared at her in shock. Elycia stuck her tongue out at him.

"That's unacceptable," he stated in shock. "Pie is fu—freaking amazing," he quickly corrected himself, eyeing the three year old in front of him.

"I agree," Hughes said. Gracia stood, collecting the empty plates from the table. "That settles it. You have to come over again to try my wife's amazing apple pie."

"Wait, what?" Ivy squeaked.

"Ivy's coming back?!" Elycia asked, staring at her father hopefully. He gave her a smile.

"Yes she is," he told her. Elycia cheered in response. Ivy apparently had no say in the matter.

The phone began to ring.

"I'll get it," Gracia sang, standing and walking to the phone. She raised the phone to her ear. After a few pleasantries being exchanged, and mild laughter, Gracia said goodbye and hung up. She turned to the table again. "Your ride is here, Ivy."

Elycia groaned, crossing her arms over her chest. Hughes and Gracia smiled warmly at her. "She'll be back, baby," Gracia cooed. Hughes nodded.

"Very soon," he confirmed. Their words did little to appease the girl.

Elycia turned to her, grabbing the hem of her sleeve. "Come back soon," she told her. Ivy smiled reassuringly back.

"I will," she promised.

"Noah," Gracia called.

He looked up. "Yeah?"

"Be a dear and walk her down, please?" She asked. He nodded, standing immediately.

"Of course," he said. Ivy was perplexed. And _where_ was this polite, agreeable guy when they were at Mustang's office?

Ivy moved to stand, dirty plate in hand. Gracia was quick to her side.

"Sweetie, it's fine," she said, taking the plate from her. "Don't worry about it. We'll see you soon."

Ivy smiled sheepishly. "Thank you, Mrs. Gracia, for dinner and the hospitality," she said, then turned to Hughes, "And thank you, Mr. Maes, for inviting me over."

Hughes laughed. "Just go on. I'll be at HQ tomorrow."

Ivy nodded, twiddling her fingers at Elycia, and followed Noah out the door.

The walk down the stairs were quiet. The staircase wasn't wide enough to accommodate the both of them, so she fell into step behind him and she watched the back of his head as they walked. She noticed that he was somehow relaxed now. His shoulders were usually tight and stiff, but slouched as if he was trying to be nonchalant and aloof about everything. Now he stood straighter, the tension in his back gone.

Ivy thought maybe he was just tense when around military personnel. It didn't take a genius to figure out he had some sort of disdain about them. Maybe he was really uncomfortable being in HQ and that's why he's all distant like he is. After all, he loosened up considerably when helping out Gracia.

Ivy blinked, then wanted to smack herself in the face. How did she not put one and one together? He was basically at Gracia's side the whole evening. With her, he joked and laughed and was eager to offer help at any opportunity. Gracia looked like his mom. He was like that because maybe, subconsciously, he was imagining it was his mother.

 _Oh Noah..._ Ivy thought forlornly at the back of his head. He must have been incredibly close to his mom. She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but she knew he'd probably be really weirded out and kept her distance.

 _Besides,_ came her Inner Voice, _You have something else you need to tell him._

Ivy felt any and all positive emotions she had from this evening fade. How on earth was she supposed to tell him that Hughes dies?

"Hey, Noah..."

"Hm?" He turned his head to her, glancing at her from the corner of her eye.

"Mr. Maes..." she started, feeling the lump in her throat form. She chickened out and instead went, "You and him have been spending a lot of time together, huh?"

He raised a brow and turned his head back to face forward. "I mean, I guess, yeah. He was the one who helped me when I got zapped here."

"And gave you a place to stay," she said quietly.

"Yeah."

He was quiet for a moment.

"Yknow, usually all cops are complete dicks," he said suddenly, "Thinking they're all high and mighty and that we should worship the ground they walk on. Yet they go around beating on completely innocent people and expect us to pity them for 'making mistakes'. You've seen the news back home, right?"

Ivy remembered all the police brutality cases that have been surfacing back home. She remembered being angry about it too. The racial profiling and unnecessary hostility toward people had frustrated her to no end when she saw it around. But still, she knew it was a case to case thing and she wasn't bitter toward _every_ cop because of it. Her godfather was a cop, after all.

"I hate that kind of mentality," he continued, "I hate when people think they're exempt from consequences just because they have a badge. It's mentalities like that that get people hurt and killed." His voice was laced with venom as he said the last sentence. He shook his head. "Cops, military, government— _whatever_ — are supposed to be _for_ the people. It loses all purpose when they start forgetting about that and start letting the power go to their heads."

She sensed Noah wasn't done, so she kept quiet.

"But...Hughes wasn't like that. He actually listened. He didn't demand anything or accuse me of something. He had every opportunity to just throw me in a cell—it's not like I wasn't asking for it." She saw the tips of his ears go pink at that. "But he didn't. He didn't have to help out like he did for some punk kid that kept blowing up at him. Hughes is good people." He laughed then. "But he's just a character, right? It makes sense. There's no way someone as good as him actually exists."

Ivy wanted to cry. How was she supposed to tell Noah now—after everything he told her?!

" _But he's just a character, right?"_

It was obvious that Noah didn't see it that way. And honestly, she didn't either. Everything that has happened so far has been surreal, but none of it seemed fictional. So, was she really just going to sit by and let these tragedies happen?

 _Are you willing to let the world die for the sake of one person?_ Her Inner Voice asked.

Ivy wished her Inner Voice would just SHUT UP!

"We're here," Noah announced.

Ivy shook herself out of her inner conflict to meet Noah's green eyes. "Oh."

He opened the door for her politely and she walked through. He continued to walk with her until she saw the boxy car waiting for her. She saw Havoc's face as he leaned out the window. Noah walked her to the car door and she was surprised to see him open the door for her. She fell into the front seat silently as Noah closed to door after her. He leaned down to the open window.

"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" He asked.

Ivy forced a smile on her face. "Yeah." He smiled back.

"See ya, man," he told Havoc.

"See ya," Havoc replied, reaching a fist out. Noah bumped his own fist against the older man's. Havoc and Ivy watched as Noah walked around the car and Havoc didn't start the engine until the boy disappeared into the apartment building. The engine flipped over noisily and they ambled out.

"So, how was dinner?" Havoc asked, his cheerful tone seeming out of place.

"Delicious," she answered, cringing how her voice cracked.

Havoc glanced at her once, but if he noticed, he said nothing. The rest of the car ride was spent in silence.

* * *

Havoc walked Ivy to her dorm like a gentleman. They still didn't speak but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Havoc seemed chill enough and didn't press the subject and Ivy was glad he didn't ask, because she just didn't trust herself to not spill the beans about the dilemma in her head. She was distraught and any semblance of a listening ear was too tempting. She felt her heart ache and pictured her friend in her mind. _Ashley, I wish you were here,_ she thought to herself. The two girls shared everything together and she wished for nothing more than someone to be there for her like that, but alas, Noah was a stranger, and everyone else just wasn't an option. When they reached the dorm, someone was stood outside.

"Alphonse?" Ivy asked, surprised.

"Ivy!" He turned toward her excitedly. Then noticed the older man. "Lieutenant Havoc."

He raised a hand. "Hey, Alphonse."

"What are you doing here?" She asked, but couldn't help the excitement in her voice. She had missed the brothers. Sure, she only hadn't seen them for a day, but that was the longest she's been separated from the two since she got here.

"The Colonel told me you were looking for Brother and I?" He asked.

"Oh!" She had become sidetracked by Hughes. She opened her mouth to ask, but caught sight of Havoc beside her and shut her mouth just as quickly.

He seemed to notice her hesitance because he stuck his hands in his pockets. "Well, that's my cue," he said. He turned around, beginning to walk away.

Ivy was confused. "Wait! Mr. Havoc." He turned to regard her. "You aren't, um..."

"Going to keep you prisoner?" He supplied, making Ivy's cheeks flush pink. He smiled at her. "I don't see the point in staying guard. You're a big girl; you know how to take care of yourself. Besides, you have Alphonse here now."

Ivy sighed, relieved. She smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you, Mr. Havoc." It had bothered her how closely she was being watched, as if she were some criminal.

Havoc waved her off. "I'll see you tomorrow?" He ventured. She nodded. "Alright." He then began walking away, either to go home, or to his own dorm.

She turned back to Alphonse once he was gone. "You weren't waiting here long, were you?"

Al shook his head. "Not at all. Sorry that Brother isn't here," he said, answering her unsaid question, "He still had to finish his reports. He'd been procrastinating all day."

Ivy felt a smirk rise on her face as she heard his reprimanding tone. Al sure acted like the older one. "Ah," she said.

"So, what did you need help with?"

"Oh! Right." She procured the key from her pocket, hurriedly opening it. "Let's get inside."

* * *

"You want to learn alchemy?"

Ivy nodded. "Yes." She relayed her epiphany to Alphonse, just as she did with Noah earlier that day. She was posted behind the kitchen counter, having already made herself another cup of coffee. Alphonse sat in a chair in front of the counter. He had said he didn't need one, but Ivy wasn't having it. Sure, it wasn't like he was—or could get— tired from standing, but it seemed plain rude to not accommodate him like she would any other guest. Besides, he was huge and honestly, the height difference hurt her neck to always have to look up at him. Sitting down, he was still considerably taller than her, but she didn't need to crane her neck up as much. She could even get away with just looking up at him from beneath her bangs.

Alphonse shifted in the seat and it creaked ominously beneath him. "Learning alchemy isn't a cakewalk, Ivy," he cautioned warningly, "It's a science. It takes time and dedication."

She sighed. "I know that," she said, "But I don't have any other choice."

"It's not an art to be taken lightly," he said again, his voice low.

"I _know_ ," she repeated. She stared into the mug in her fingertips, watching as the steam billowed up from it. "I just don't see what other option I have. I don't know what other way Noah and I could get home."

He was silent for a few moments. She nervously played with the handle on the mug as he stared at her. Eventually, he sighed.

"It's going to be hard," he said. She bounced her head up to look at him, eyes widened hopefully. "We'll ask Brother if he'll help. I won't lie to you, it will be difficult and it may even take _months_ before you can do your first transmutation—"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Alphonse!" She exclaimed, reaching over and gripping one of his armored hands in both of hers. She squeezed on habit, even though she knew he wouldn't be able to feel it.

"Y-you're welcome," he said, a flustered chuckle in his voice. "I can bring you a few books that I think are simple enough that we have laying around, but more than likely we'll have to go to the library. We haven't been reading basic alchemy books in years."

She eagerly nodded. "Of course! You and Ed mastered alchemy when you guys were like ten—I don't expect you to have beginning alchemy books on ya." She realized she was still holding his hand and hurriedly let it go, hoping she didn't weird him out by that.

Al laughed then, the sound echoing slightly in the armor. "We haven't _mastered_ alchemy," he said, "We're still researching. There's always more to learn."

Ivy rolled her eyes. They were freaking prodigies and here he was trying to be modest. "Well, yeah, but you two are way ahead of the game. I mean, Ed passed the state alchemist exam when he was twelve—something that adults who have trained all their life sometimes don't pass. You two are frikin' amazing."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Don't let Brother hear you. He's got a big enough head as it is."

She smiled. "Got it."

She tapped her index finger on the side of her mug, trying to sift through possible conversation topics.

"So when can I start?" She blurted out. She was too excited. She was going to learn alchemy! How many FMA fans can say that?

 _They can't because they weren't taken here against their will,_ Inner Voice pointed out. Ivy ignored it. Not even Inner Voice could kill her vibe.

Al chuckled again, shaking his head. "Tomorrow. It's getting late."

Ivy squinted at the clock on the wall and raised her eyebrows. It was almost nine. When had it gotten so late?

"Of course," she said, the excitement fading slightly. She was hoping she could start _right now_ but she knew Al was being reasonable. He'll still be there in a few hours, after all.

"Here." He reached for the notebook Ivy left on the counter and scribbled a number on it. "That's Brother's dorm. Meet me there tomorrow morning and then we'll see if we have what you need. If not, we can go to Central Library to pick up the necessary books."

Ivy's brows pinched together. "Central Library?"

"Yeah," Al confirmed, excitement brimming in his voice, "Now that we're in Central, we get to go to the First Branch! I heard it's the biggest library in the country. Brother and I have been wanting to go there ever since we were kids."

Just like that, Ivy's stomach dropped to her shoes.

The First Branch. As in, the First Branch that was supposed to be burnt down? _Wait, wait,_ Ivy thought frantically, _Where am I in the series?_ She had been so caught up in everything she hadn't even thought about it. She felt her heart begin to race and the tell-tale signs of a panic attack coming on. She was supposed to be making sure they stayed on track! It was the very first thing she had thought about once she met the brothers and she promised herself she wouldn't let it deviate, yet here they were, already behind. What happens if they don't follow the timeline? Will everything get screwed up? Will people die? Will _they_ die?

Ivy felt her chest constrict and she gripped the end of the counter for support.

"Ivy?"

The sound of Alphonse's voice was distorted in her ears and she spared a glance up. The red lights in his eye sockets bared down on her. The armor made no change to indicate what he was thinking. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to will her heart to slow down. She was _not_ going to have a panic attack in front of him. That was too much. Too embarrassing. Too revealing. Too _everything_.

 _Breathe,_ came the concerned, almost panicked, sound of Inner Voice, _you have to breathe._

She tried, wheezing in tiny breaths. The walls in her throat seemed to stick together, as if she were being strangled. She pulled at the neckline of her t-shirt, tearing it away from her neck as if it were the clothing's fault for the choking feeling. It pulled away easily and did nothing to alleviate the weight she was feeling against her neck.

"I-I'm—" she rasped, heaving in giant gulps of air. She was trying to assure Alphonse she was alright, but the words would not leave her mouth.

"Ivy, what's wrong?" Alphonse's voice was closer now and she shook her head vehemently, hands up to push him away if necessary. She couldn't see where he was, her eyes still shut tightly, but damn it all if he was going to touch her. _That_ would be too much.

 _Breathe!_ her Inner Voice repeated, the tone firmer. _If nothing else, you have to breathe. You know what to do. Inhale for five seconds._

She forced herself to open her mouth and suck in the air.

 _Exhale for seven seconds._

She shakily pushed it through her nose.

 _In for five seconds._

She breathed in.

 _Out for seven._

She breathed out.

Ivy continued to follow the orders of Inner Voice, the sound of it comforting as it coaxed out the last effects of anxiety. Her heart began to settle in her chest and she felt her throat open to accommodate the oxygen. She was surprised at the actual concern in the voice in her head. It was almost as if it were another person, reaching out and comforting her. She would have laughed if she wasn't so focused on breathing. She was losing it already, imagining a person to comfort her. It was only a week and she was already losing her grip on her sanity. _To be fair,_ she thought sardonically, thinking of her best friend and the conversations they used to share, _It's longer than we thought I'd last, eh, Ash?_

 _Give yourself some credit,_ Inner Voice chastised quietly, _You can't control stuff like that._

She knew Inner Voice was right. Panic disorder was unpredictable. Nonetheless, imagining a person to comfort her, to conceptualize her own thoughts into an image of someone, just to escape loneliness or panic... _That's some batshit crazy stuff,_ she thought.

Inner Voice didn't respond to that.

"Ivy...?"

She opened her eyes then, blinking into the artificial light of the room. She felt a presence in front of her and realizing where she was and who she was with, she looked up. Alphonse was stood in front of her, having gone around and onto the kitchen tile. He was still a few feet away from her, hands out cautiously. She noticed then that she had backed herself into the corner, her back flat against the wall.

The reality of what she had done—had done in _front_ of Alphonse—clicked in her mind and she felt incredible embarrassment and shame fill her. "Oh, god, Alphonse—shit, I, uh—crap, _shit_." She pressed her hands to her face, covering it from view. "I'm so sorry, Al, I—"

"No," Al quickly cut her off, "Don't apologize, just...are you okay?"

After a moment's pause, Ivy nodded her head. Her face was still in her hands.

"What happened?" He asked hesitantly.

She peeked at him from between her fingers. She was hoping to gauge his reaction, but armor can't change expression. She debated saying nothing, laughing it off, but it was too obvious, and clearly distressing, considering Alphonse had tried going up to her.

"It's stupid," she settled, shaking her head. She pushed her hands into her hair, pushing her bangs up and out of her face. She noticed, thankfully, she didn't cry, which was good. Her bangs flopped back down on her forehead.

Al tensed, and didn't say anything for a few moments as he stared at her. It looked like he was also debating something in his mind and eventually he shook his head. "It's not stupid," he said, "You were upset. What's wrong?"

"It's _fine_ , Alphonse."

"What's wrong?" He repeated, his tone growing sharper. She noticed how similar it sounded to when he'd scold Ed.

It irritated her a little bit, being scolded like she was. They were like, what? The same age or something? Maybe she was a year older? Hell, she didn't know. It depended on the timeline and where they were at in the series. Which she now didn't know. Regardless, she was embarrassed and irritated and honestly still a bit on edge, and she did _not_ want to deal with being yelled at right now.

"Alphonse, I'm fine," she snapped, looking away and crossing her arms defensively, "I'm sorry for making you worry. Please, can we move on?"

She cringed at how rude she sounded, but she just didn't want to tell him. She knew it was stupid, but she was a little ashamed. How many times has he seen her break down and cry? Too many times, that's how many. She cut herself some slack—she'd been almost killed, after all, she was allowed to be upset—but this was plain ridiculous. Like she said on the train, the Elric brothers were not her therapists. She'd sort through her own mess on her own time.

Besides, even though she knew it was silly, she was embarrassed. She'd been diagnosed with panic disorder when she was in seventh grade, and she knew it wasn't something to be embarrassed about, but she was. She didn't want Alphonse pitying her—or worse, thinking she couldn't handle learning alchemy. She needed him to know she was fine, that she could take care of herself. Like Havoc said, she was a big girl.

"Okay," Al said eventually. His voice was skeptical, but he didn't press the subject anymore and she was relieved. He leaned on the kitchen counter and Ivy mirrored him, but instead of her back against the counter, she leaned her elbows onto it. She was still shaky and it was nice to have something to rest her arms on, to steady the quivering hands.

"What were you and Edward doing last, before you found me?" She asked.

He cocked his head to the side. "Why do you ask?"

She shook her head dismissively. "I'm just trying to orient myself with where you guys are in the story." _And see if I could fix it before it gets even more messed up,_ she thought.

"We were chasing a lead in Ashwell about Nicholas Flamel's old journals," he told her.

Ivy frowned. That didn't help. "What about before that?"

Al looked at her strangely before answering. "We had just got back from Risembool."

"To get Ed's automail fixed?" She guessed.

He flinched, momentarily surprised, but then relaxed. "Yeah. Brother's arm was destroyed, so he had to get a new one made," he said. He sighed. "It's still so weird that you _know_ things. I know you told me about our stories, but it still surprises me every time."

She smiled wryly. "Sorry. I don't mean to creep you out."

He waved his hands in front of himself dismissively. "No, no! It's not creepy, it's just..."

"Creepy?"

"I was going to say _unnerving_ ," Al protested.

Ivy laughed, relieved they lapsed back into their joking banter they had before her panic attack. Her hands even stopped shaking. She began thinking. Okay, if Ed's automail was destroyed so much so he needed a new one, then that means... "You guys had just escaped Scar, then."

"Hm?"

"Scar," Ivy explained, "He destroyed Ed's arm and your armor, right?" He nodded. "So Major Armstrong accompanied you to Risembool to get it fixed."

He paused before nodding, letting out a nervous chuckle. "This is so weird," he muttered under his breath. Ivy snorted. It _was_ a little weird.

Her brows pinched together. "But then you guys went to Ashwell," she repeated, making him nod once more. "Where did Major Armstrong go?"

"He was called in to Central," he answered.

It hit her. Dr. Marcoh. "You guys didn't stop in any weird towns before Risembool?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No. We went straight to Risembool."

So the timeline _was_ deviating already. She felt the panic tickle in the back of her mind, but she shoved it back. It had deviated before she had even arrived...Or did it deviate _because_ she arrived? She frowned, a headache already forming. This butterfly effect thing sure was confusing. However, one thing was relieving in this mess: it was early in the series. She still had time to figure out if they were following Brotherhood or the 2003 anime. And the best part? She was in the turning point section, where she'd find out which version it was soon. It all depended on what happened in Laboratory 5.

Her shoulders slumped. As soon as she set them back on the timeline, anyway.

"Okay," she said, mostly to herself, but Al turned to regard her. "I know where you guys are at now."

"And is everything okay?" he asked.

She debated telling him, to set the series back on track herself, but then she stopped. Mustang was supposed to tell them about Marcoh, wasn't he? She sifted through her memory, trying to remember if he had given them the lead or not. She had the vague notion that he had, but she couldn't say for certain. She groaned. It's been a while since she last saw FMA, either version. If she had known this information would be important, she would have binged the show or something!

"I'll take that as a no," Al said nervously, snapping Ivy out of her thoughts.

"No, no! It's okay, it's fine," she hurriedly reassured him. She hadn't realized she hadn't spoken in so long. "I'm just...thinking about some stuff." Should she just tell him? Surely it wouldn't hurt to give them the lead herself, if they ended up going to the same place regardless of who tells them.

 _No_ , she decided. She'll see if the story fixed itself before she took any matters into her own hands. She'll give it about a week. If nothing happened, she'll tell them then.

She definitely wasn't stalling for more time to figure out what to do. No, not at all! She certainly didn't feel guilty for her selfish decision to keep the brothers close for a little while either, nope. It was a logical decision! Besides, she couldn't just tell them about Dr. Marcoh while the First Branch was still there! Then they wouldn't meet Scheska and the timeline would be even more off! She frowned then. Oh god, what was she going to do about the First Branch?

 _Well..._ Inner Voice trailed off.

Ohhhh no.

She looked at Alphonse again. She watched as the armor moved, the metal shining in the fluorescent lights. She saw the unnatural red lights that appeared in the eye sockets that served as his eyes and observed as they flicked toward her, almost nervously. _Huh_. Sure, the face on the helmet didn't change, but those lights did. And just like regular eyes, they seemed to show emotion. Perhaps he wasn't as expressionless as she had thought. And perhaps that was how Ed could read his brother, even trapped in this armor as he was. She smiled.

"Thanks, Alphonse."

He looked down at her. "For what?"

She shrugged. She didn't know why she said it, but thanking him seemed to fit the moment.

He shook his head, chuckling. "You're welcome, I guess." He stood straighter. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

She nodded. "Tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Ivy," he said, beginning to walk to the door. He cleared the tiny room in just a few steps.

"Goodnight!" She called back. He gave a small wave as he shut the door behind himself. Her shoulders slumped after he left. She buried her face in her hands. "Oh, god, what am I going to _do_?"

 _I mean, there's always—_

"I AM NOT _BURNING DOWN_ THE LIBRARY LIKE SOME PYROMANIAC, INNER VOICE!"

* * *

 **PHEW! Almost 9,000 words. I had ended up merging two chapters together (or rather one chapter and then the beggining of the next) because they were too short on their own, but I ended up with this monster of a chapter! Sorry if it was too much.**

 **Btw, for those interested, last chapter's title was a lyric from 'Seasons of Love', a song in Rent the musical.**

 **Until Next Chap!**


	15. Lots of Brain, but No Polish

**Chapter 14: Lots of Brain, but No Polish**

 _ **Another long one!**_

* * *

Meanwhile, Noah had just gotten back to the apartment. He was bombarded by the three year old upon opening the door. He grunted with the impact, eyeing the small blur that attached herself to his knees. She looked up at him with big, green eyes.

"Noah?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you play with me?"

He blinked upon the request. The small girl had never asked him to play. She's always been off doing her own thing, and him his. It's not like he particularly minded—he wasn't very good with kids anyway.

"Um..."

"Please?" She pleaded, reaching up and tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Despite feeling awkward, he felt a smile creep up on his face. He wasn't good with kids, but it's not like he didn't like them. "Sure."

A huge smile spread on her face. "Yay!" She tugged him to the couch where papers and crayons were put back to some order, probably due to Hughes or Ivy. She reached up and grabbed a blank page, putting it between the two of them. He saw Gracia in the kitchen, scrubbing at plates. Elycia sat down on the floor and Noah followed suit.

"What do you wanna play?" He asked.

She grew silent, brows pinched together. He noticed with a smile that she had put her finger to her cheek in thought, the same way Gracia did. She brightened when the thought occurred to her. "Tic-tac-toe!" She exclaimed.

He could do that. "Sure."

They played probably about a hundred rounds of tic-tac-toe, with Elycia winning every single time. Whether or not Noah had 'accidentally' put his O's in the wrong plots to ensure her victory, she'd never know. Gracia had finished cleaning the kitchen and dining room and was already preparing tomorrow's lunch. Noah wondered if she did it to make sure Elycia didn't somehow stab her eye with a crayon, or if she really did like cooking. Either way, he'd he just appreciated her presence, truthfully. She had even begun to hum.

And, if he'd close his eyes, he could pretend it was his actual mom.

He knew what he was doing was selfish. If his mother had been alive to see it, she'd smack him nine ways to Sunday. But how could he not? Gracia was almost an exact copy of Gwen Shasta. They looked the same, talked the same, hell, even _walked_ the same. It had been— _god_ — how long? Noah thought back to the day his grandma got the phone call. The phone call that had asked them to come downtown and identify the body. He was twelve then.

 _Four years,_ he realized with a shock. _Mom, has it really been that long?_

Elycia pulled him out of his thoughts. "Here." She was holding out a book for him to take.

"Oh." How long had he been spacing out? He hesitantly took the book outstretched to him. It was surprisingly thick. " 'The Lost Princess of...'?" There was a word he couldn't make out.

"'The Lost Princess of Xing'!" Elycia supplied the unknown word. "That's the book daddy reads me. Can you read it for me?"

He stared at the book in his hand warily.

"Pleeeeease?" She pleaded.

"W-why can't your dad read it for you?" He asked nervously.

"He's busy," she answered. She crawled up on the couch, patting the space next to her. He wanted to protest, wanted to refuse, but she looked at him so innocently he found himself caving. He took the seat she offered.

"Do you know where he left off?" He asked.

"Chapter two," she told him, with two fingers up. "Wait no! Three!" She held up one more finger.

He began leafing through the pages slowly. Anything to prolong the inevitable. With a grimace, he found the dog-eared page and stared at the words on the page. He started reading, albeit hesitantly, fumbling and stuttering his way through the sentences. He put all his concentration into seeing the words, watching the letters, and ensuring he said them in the way they were written.

He hated reading. Or more specifically, reading out loud, where people could hear him struggle and stutter and sound stupid. It's not his fault the letters would move or disappear. He tried so damn hard to read in school. It took him forever, but he could do it. He just hated when he had to read out loud in class. It took him ages to read through a simple sentence. God forbid he was in math, where letters _and_ numbers were there to mock him, taunt him. _Read me, read me! Bet you can't, idiot!_

Luckily he wasn't in class and Elycia probably can't read any better than he can, so there was no judgement there. He just felt pressured to make sure she could understand. He didn't want to ruin her reading experience with his stupid—Something slumped against him.

He looked down and had to stifle a laugh. Elycia was fast asleep, leaning into his side. He closed the book and set it down on the coffee table, careful not to jostle the toddler. She only snuggled further, hugging his arm.

"Did she fall asleep?" Someone whispered.

Noah looked up to see Hughes in front of him. He was wearing his pajamas and the hair he usually had gelled back was wet and messily assorted on his head. Noah nodded. "Yeah."

"Poor girl probably tuckered herself out." Gracia appeared then, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Here. I'll go put her down for bed." She walked toward the couch and Noah extricated the toddler's grip from his arm. Gracia picked her up gently, putting her on her shoulder. Elycia smacked her lips, burying her face in her mother's neck. Noah smiled gratefully at her and she winked before disappearing down the hall.

Hughes sighed loudly, collapsing onto the cushion next to Noah. He laid his head back and slouched into the couch.

"Tired?" Noah asked with a wry smile.

Hughes returned it. "Yeah. I've got my hands full at work."

They lapsed into silence then. It was a comfortable one. They both sunk into the cushions of the couch, seemingly exhausted. Noah didn't know why he felt so tired. Today was relatively normal. It was like a break in the middle of all the horrors of everything. Ivy was found, they no longer were illegal, everything was fine. So why did he have the sinking suspicion something was very wrong?

"Noah."

He turned to regard Hughes. "Hm?"

"Ivy had an injury of some kind," he said then, "On her arm and hand. Do you know what happened?"

He wanted to open his mouth to respond, but something made him keep it shut. It wasn't Noah's place to say anything. Ivy was hesitant to talk about it to even him. It felt like a breach of privacy, almost, to tell Hughes. Besides, apparently Noah had been running his mouth too much. He recalled the frustrated looks he was given at Mustang's office and how Edward called him an idiot for doing so. He felt a bit of anger and embarrassment well up in him at the memory. How was he supposed to know?

He glanced at Hughes in the corner of his eye. He looked at Noah earnestly, hunched over and resting his elbows on his knees. His hazel eyes were hopeful, and Noah got the sense if Noah decided not to say anything, Hughes wouldn't pry.

But still...it was weighing on him. He had felt so useless when Ivy told him. He didn't know her well, but for some reason he felt responsible for her well-being. He should have been there to protect her. And it frustrated him to no end that he was sat on his ass eating good food and relaxing while she was out there risking her life. He felt like these feelings were just waiting to explode, waiting for any crack in his facade to present itself and go spilling out in the worst way possible. And Hughes was there, willing to listen, like he always had been.

"Ives got transported here just like me," Noah said, "But..."

Hughes waited for Noah to gather his words.

"Where she ended up was where this Scar guy was," he continued, "Ives had this pocket watch with her. She had it back on our—" he stopped, remembering what the others had warned him against, "She had it back in our world," he settled. "It was just some pocket watch. But here, apparently it means being a 'state alchemist' and Scar attacked her."

Hughes was silent, but Noah noticed how he stiffened at the name.

"Edward and Alphonse found her, thank god, but..." he trailed off, feeling immensely guilty.

He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Hughes was looking at him sympathetically. "It's not your fault, son," he said quietly.

Noah looked away, balling his hands into fists. "What if...what if she died?"

"But she didn't," Hughes reminded him.

"But what if she _did_?" Noah asked, his voice hard. "I should have been there. I should have been there to protect her. It's all my fault she's here. If I had just stopped that guy from getting close to her, we wouldn't have—!"

"Noah."

Noah stopped his rant, glaring down at his fists. His knuckles were white.

"Look at me."

He hesitantly raised his head. His green eyes met Hughes's hazel ones.

"It's not your fault," he told him gently.

"But—"

"No buts," Hughes chided him, his tone sharp. Noah recognized the reprimanding tone and kept quiet. "You couldn't have possibly known. It was out of your control." Hughes squeezed his shoulder. "I may not exactly understand how this all happened and how you two got here, but I know that what happened wasn't anyone's fault. You're just a kid, Noah. Cut yourself some slack."

He trained his eyes back down at his fists. Hughes released his shoulder.

"I know you said you don't know Ivy well," Hughes said, "But maybe you should start. It's hard to come by friends in this day and age, especially good ones. It's clear the both of you are in this together, and you should start acting like it." His voice grew quieter. "That being said, don't be afraid to ask for help."

Noah looked back up at the man before him.

"You don't have to handle all this on your own." Hughes smiled at him warmly. "I'm willing to help in any way possible, and so is Roy and the rest of them. It's okay to ask for help. You and Ivy, those brothers...You're all still kids. You all worry me."

Noah opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by Hughes placing a hand on his head and ruffling his hair. "Hey—!"

"It's getting late," Hughes said then, standing. Hughes gave one last push to Noah's head and the boy hurriedly smacked his hand away, glaring, though it was half-hearted. The last time someone mussed his hair like that, he was ten. "Get some sleep."

Noah watched as Hughes left, disappearing into the hall.

He reached up and touched his head, where Hughes' hand was roughly rubbing. He wasn't a damn kid and Hughes needed to stop treating him like he was Elycia. However...

He smiled.

He'd never admit it, but he really appreciated it.

* * *

Sleep had been an almost impossible feat, but her saving grace had been the lack of sleep yesterday. She eventually fell into unconsciousness and awoke at the early hours of dawn, obviously too excited to stay asleep for long. She hurriedly turned on the kettle and went to get ready while the water boiled.

Ivy brushed through the mess of her hair, wincing every time it tugged her head to the side painfully. This was why she appreciated short hair and would always chop it off before it got too long. Why—or when—she had let it grow so long, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that it was a pain.

After brushing her teeth, she pulled on some real clothes which consisted of the same jeans she had worn yesterday and a red long sleeve shirt. She almost pulled it off and went for something less flashy, but something about the bright color made her smile. It made her remember Ed's coat and while she felt self-conscious for being so bright, it gave her a bit of confidence. She would need to emulate Edward's spirit if she were going to tackle alchemy, after all.

She drank her small cup of coffee for that morning, feeling her spirits brighten even more. She glanced at the number Al had written on the notebook and committed the number to memory—153– before walking out of the dorm, locking it behind her. It took her a while, considering she didn't know where to go, and she wandered around the halls blindly. She took a few turns, somehow making four lefts on the way, and she ended up back at her own dorm.

She groaned. "Why does everything have to look the same?!" She complained into the empty halls.

"Ivy?"

She jumped at the sudden voice, whirling around to face the source. She relaxed upon seeing Havoc, the usual cigarette dangling from his lips. "You scared me!" She exclaimed, resting a hand on her racing heart.

He smiled. "Sorry, girly." He took a drag off his cigarette. "Where are you trying to go?"

"Ed and Al's dorm," she said sheepishly, "I keep getting lost..."

Havoc smiled. "Down the hall to your right, then make a left. They're the second door on your right," he told her.

She smiled at him gratefully, mumbling out a 'thanks' before she went and followed his directions. It took her less than a minute to appear before the door with 153 on it. She felt incredibly stupid as she looked at it. They were so close this whole time and she had been wandering for who knows how long searching for it! She raised a hand and knocked.

She heard some shuffling behind the door and it opened for her to see Alphonse's huge frame. He had to bend over slightly to look out the door. His eyes—or red lights or whatever—widened excitedly. "Ivy!"

"Hi, Alphonse," she greeted with a smile.

"You're here early," he commented, stepping aside to let her through. She walked in.

"I'm sorry," she said instantly, "I can come back later if that's better." She knew it was early, but she was just too eager to get started.

"No, it's okay," he assured, closing the door behind her. "It's just that Brother is still sleeping."

As if on cue, a loud snore interrupted them and Ivy looked to the noise. Edward was passed out, limbs sprawled out with his arm dangling off the side. Ivy giggled, then quickly put a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. He was frowning, scowling in his sleep. A hand hooked under his shirt, revealing his stomach. The blankets lied in a heap around his feet.

Ivy squinted at the clock in their room that hung over their stove. She was surprised at the time. "It's almost 10AM," she said. She must've been wandering the halls a lot longer than she thought. "Shouldn't he be up by now?"

"He _should_ ," Al concurred, shooting an annoyed look at Ed. Ed only rolled over obliviously. Ivy couldn't hold back a laugh. She slapped a hand over her mouth when the sound burst from her mouth.

"Mmh?" Ed grumbled.

"Brother, it's time to get up," Alphonse chided, this time raising his voice to a normal volume. "Ivy's here."

Ed grumbled some more, rolling over and sitting up. His eyes slid open slowly, the gold peeking out.

"I don't mean to wake you," Ivy apologized, but she couldn't put the sincerity in her voice she wanted. His hair was crumpled and tangled into almost dreadlocks and it stuck up on one side of his head. It was too funny to be sorry for. He yawned.

"Whah time...?" He mumbled sleepily, squinting from the light.

"Time for you to wake up," Al quipped. "Ivy came all this way and woke up early too; you should show her the same courtesy."

He frowned deeply at the reprimand, reaching up and scratching his head. It only served to mess up his hair further. "Why did she come here anyway?" He asked.

"Um," she said. He turned his attention to her and blinked, as if just noticing she was there. "I came to learn alchemy."

As if that was the key phrase, he seemed to wake up completely. He sat up straighter and his eyes narrowed at her. She fidgeted under his gaze. "Learn alchemy? What for?" He asked. His voice no longer had the grogginess in it.

"I talked about it with Alphonse last night," she explained. "And I think it's the way to go home, so I should learn how to do it."

"Alchemy isn't something you can learn in a day," he said sharply, "It isn't just some story you can read and then know. It's a science."

"I know that," Ivy snapped, her cheeks burning from his tone. "Alphonse gave me the whole speech last night."

He stared at her intensely and she tried to remain firm under his scrutiny. He didn't speak for a few moments. "It's not to be taken lightly," he said, echoing what Al had told her last night.

"I _know,"_ she repeated, mustering up the gumption to glare at him. "But I can't sit around and do nothing. Noah and I will never get home that way."

They stared at each other for a few moments. Ed stared at her with hard eyes, his frown deepening. Ivy couldn't help herself and flicked her eyes away, but swallowed, steeling herself enough to look back at him. As she did so, she heard him sigh.

"I'm gonna get dressed," he stated, standing. He flung the blankets back on the bed.

"Brother—"

"Then we'll start with the basic principles of alchemy," he continued, not sparing a glance behind him as he disappeared into the bathroom. The door shut behind him.

Ivy paused. "Wait...does that mean...?" She hurriedly looked up at Alphonse.

"Looks like you've got yourself a Teacher, Ivy," he said cheerfully. Ivy gasped, overcome with excitement. She jumped up, wrapping her arms around Alphonse's body.

"OW!"

"C-careful!"

She pulled back, holding the side of her face she smashed into Alphonse's armored body. She smiled at him, but it looked more like a grimace. "Sorry. I was excited."

Al just shook his head.

* * *

"Alright, so how much do you know of chemistry?" Ed was tying his hair in his usual braid and Ivy marveled at how he did it one handed. She guessed it was hard to braid with a metal hand.

"Chemistry...?" Ivy sheepishly smoothed a lock of hair between her fingertips. "Nothing...?"

Ed stopped, shocked in place. He looked at her like she was crazy. "Excuse me?"

"It's not my fault!" she exclaimed, blushing furiously. "I was supposed to take Chemistry next year!"

"How are you supposed to learn alchemy with no knowledge of chemistry?!" He yelled, exasperated.

"I mean, I know _some_ things..." she mumbled, darting her eyes away. "I think..."

Ed groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. "This is ridiculous."

"Brother," Al said, "Not everyone grew up reading chemistry texts like us."

Ed shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Great. Just great."

"Do I _have_ to know chemistry?" Ivy asked.

"Yes," both brothers answered immediately, one voice irritated, and the other polite. Ed walked to a stack of books and began taking some out, grumbling under his breath, and putting some back roughly.

"Alchemy has strong ties to chemistry," Alphonse explained. "It's impossible to understand the principles behind alchemy without first understanding the chemical laws it was derived from."

"Oh..." Ivy muttered, her shoulders slumping. So she not only had to learn one thing, she had to learn something else in order to learn the other thing. This was suspiciously starting to resemble school and she soured. It's not like she hated school; it was just supposed to be summer vacation and now she was being thrust into more classes.

"Anyway," Ed said, still searching through the enormous pile of books, "What kind of alchemy are you trying to learn?"

Ivy felt herself flinch. "What kind?"

"Yeah," Al said, "Are you trying to specialize in a particular field?"

"If I know now, we can ignore the rest and just focus on that," Ed commented, "I don't know how much time I'll have between missions and our own research. Colonel Bastard likes to ship me off as often as possible."

Ivy paled, looking away from the innocent looks the brothers were giving her. "Um... I was thinking, like...general...alchemy?"

Ed paused again and looked back at her incredulously. "'General'?" He asked incredulously. "You don't even know what kind of alchemy you want to study?"

"W-well, I mean shouldn't I learn the basics?" Ivy said quickly, trying to avoid the glare she was being given. "Thinking specifics is kinda jumping the gun, isn't it?"

Ed gave her this look like he couldn't believe he agreed to teaching her, making her shrink back nervously. Al thankfully jumped in to her defense.

"She has a point, Brother," he said.

Ed sighed loudly, standing with a stack of books in his arms. He walked to where Ivy was sitting and dropped them in front of her. She stared at the huge, thick texts in front of her warily. "Read all of these and memorize the contents," he told her, making her head bounce up to look at him with wide eyes. "Then I'll test you on them tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" She squeaked, looking at the books in front of her and back at him. "I can't read all of this tomorrow!"

He raised a brow. "And why not?"

She was floored. There were about five books in front of her, thicker than any textbook she ever had back at school. They were probably about fifteen-hundred pages, maybe even longer, each! She did the quick math in her head and paled. 7,500 pages. How did he expect her to finish five of them by tomorrow?! And memorize them?! She was a quick reader, sure, but 7,500 pages to be memorized by tomorrow was ridiculous. She looked back at Ed who was looking at her strangely, when it hit her.

Of course. Ed was a child prodigy. This was probably something he did all the time.

For _fun_.

She wanted to protest, say it was unfair, but she kept her mouth shut. Ed didn't have to waste time teaching her, but he was. The least she could do is follow his instructions. Besides, she was lucky he wasn't beating her up like Izumi would. She winced, thinking about it. Was Ed going to be as hard on her as his teacher was to him?

"O-okay..." she said quietly, reaching for the first book in front of her, _The Basic Principles of Chemistry._ "I'll, um, get started then..."

"Good," he said, retreating back to his bed. He opened up the book he had been reading before and was quickly sucked into Focused Ed Mode that she used to see while he was reading in the hotel rooms.

She looked at the book in front of her warily once more before taking a deep breath and opening it, beginning to read. It couldn't be that hard, could it?

* * *

It was incredibly hard.

Ivy wanted to strangle her past self for not paying enough attention in science. Science had always been her weakest subject because it always made sense when she talked about it, but once it was put on paper, it felt like trying to read a completely different language. The most frustrating thing about science was that it would take an entire paragraph to explain one thing that could be summarized in one sentence. Scientists were soooo smug about it too. Making things all convoluted for no reason. Why couldn't it be math? She was good at math. Numbers and constants, equations that only come out with one outcome, most of the time. None of this theoretical stuff with a bunch of changing variables based on circumstantial environments.

She realized she was spacing out and hurriedly snapped her attention back to the book in her hands.

She had made it past the first few chapters already by skimming and only pausing to write down the very important parts like theories and laws and the like. Edward and Alphonse hadn't moved from their spots, also reading. Ivy wondered what they were reading about; probably some sort of Philosopher Stone research journals or something. The entire dorm was littered in boxes, almost every single one filled the brim with books. They could open a mini-library with the amount of books they owned. She was shocked that only one box held Ed's belongings, but it should be expected. They were constantly on the move and didn't really have time to be owning a bunch of stuff to haul around. _No wonder Ed only has, like, one outfit,_ she thought, glancing at the identical shirts and uncomfortable looking leather pants in the 'Ed Box.' She glanced at Alphonse. _And it's not like Al needs any clothes or anything._

She realized she was spacing out _again_ and forced herself to look back down at the pages before her.

God, her back was killing her. She'd been hunched down in the same position for the last hour or so. She shifted her position, trying to get in a more comfortable space, but it was all for naught.

 _Focus,_ she told herself when she realized she was getting off track. She looked back down at the words in front of her.

Man, she was hungry. When was lunch again? All she had was a cup of coffee this morning. She needed brain food.

 _Focus!_ She yelled at herself, lifting the book to her face, probably closer than she needed.

Crap, now her leg was starting to fall asleep. That was annoying.

 _READ. THE. BOOK._

As if her prayers had been answered, the door burst open. "EDWARD! ALPHONSE! LONG TIME NO SEE!"

All three of them snapped up at the sudden noise and Ivy near rejoiced when she saw Hughes, in all his cheerful glory.

"Mr. Maes!" Ivy said the same time Ed and Al went, "Major!"

"It's Lieutenant Colonel now, boys," he said hotly, adjusting the glasses on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Ed asked in his blunt way, cutting right to the chase.

"Not that we're not glad to see you!" Al added.

"I've been instructed by my lovely wife to bring someone by for dinner," he chirped, "You haven't happen to see Ivy around, have you?"

"I'm right here!" Ivy said quickly, raising her hand as if she were in class calling for attendance. She hurriedly got to her feet and dusted off her jeans.

Hughes grinned. "I almost didn't see you! You're about as tiny as Ed!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING TINY?!"

Hughes ignored Ed's explosion and smiled at Ivy. "Elycia misses you something terrible," he said and Ivy felt her heart swell at the thought.

"Where's Noah?" She asked, realizing the lack of boy who usually accompanied the man.

"He's at home entertaining Elycia," he said and Ivy found herself surprised. She hadn't thought Noah was good with kids, considering how awkward he had been with the girl. He turned to the three of them. "You know, you boys are also welcome to come by."

Ed smiled but gave a wave. "Thanks, Lt. Colonel, but we've got some work to do."

"That's a shame," Hughes said with a frown, "Don't be strangers now. If you ever want a break, my door is always open."

Ed grinned. "Sure thing, Lt. Colonel."

"Thank you, Mr. Hughes," Al said.

Ivy felt disappointed they wouldn't be coming. They didn't really talk all that much, but that hour or so they all spent together quietly reading had been...really nice. It felt like something she'd do with her friends back home. At the thought, she felt her heart squeeze. She shook herself out of her bad headspace and onto more happy things. They'd be right there tomorrow! She can read with them again, and besides, Ed was teaching her alchemy—or chemistry!

She waved goodbye at them and moved to go, but she paused. She quickly went and gathered the books in her arms and picked them up with a grunt, and hurried after Hughes. She had some studying to do, after all.

* * *

"Higher, higher!"

"Alright, you asked for it!"

Noah hoisted Elycia up into the air, placing her on his shoulders. She shrieked in joy as he spun around, diving and maneuvering as if he were an airplane.

Ivy was so stunned she almost dropped the books in her arms.

Hughes grinned, closing the door behind her. He cleared his throat loudly, raising his voice to his usual volume. "ELYCIA!"

The girl swiveled around on Noah's shoulders and the moment her eyes locked on her father, they shined. "Daddy!" She squealed. She then began squirming, trying to get down from Noah's shoulders and he struggled a bit to make sure he didn't drop her. Once he extricated the toddler from his hold, she took off, jumping straight into her father's arms. Hughes picked her up, twirling them once, before squishing his cheek to hers. She giggled. "Your beard is scratchy, daddy!"

Noah seemed to spot Ivy then and instantly his face went red. He hurriedly stiffened, shoving his hands in his pockets and darting his eyes away. Ivy continued to stare. He seemed to get even more uncomfortable under her gaze and reached a hand up and stuck it in his hair, pushing the annoying waves and curls away, trying to look like his usual cool self.

Hughes sighed and put his little girl on his hip. "Noah!" He said then, gaining both of their attention. "Why don't you help Ivy with those books she's carrying? Elycia and I are going to try and catch up with Gracia. She's still at the market, right?" Before he could reply, he was already out the door, the toddler in tow.

The sound of the door slamming echoed in the quiet of the living room.

They both kept staring at each other awkwardly.

"I didn't know you were good with kids," Ivy said, breaking the awkward staring contest.

He scratched the back of his head. "I'm not. Elycia is just...she's easier, I guess."

Ivy felt herself smile. Elycia really wasn't all that different from other kids, but if it made Noah feel better about showing the 'less cool' aspect of himself, she wouldn't say anything.

"What are you carrying?" He asked, walking toward her and taking the heavy stack from her arms. She nearly sighed in relief from being released from the weight as she followed him back to the couch.

"Chemistry books," she said, plopping down on one of the cushions. Noah followed suit after spreading the stack on the table.

"Chemistry?" He asked, picking one up.

"Yeah," she said, frowning at how thick the texts were, "You need to know chemistry before you can learn alchemy. I should have figured but, I don't know, I guess I thought it was sort of separate?" She sighed. "Ed gave me all these to read."

He leafed through _Organic Chemistry Volume 1_ for a bit, pausing to look at a few pictures and diagrams. "So, the little guy is teaching you alchemy?"

Ivy smiled then, remembering it. It was still so surreal to think the actual Fullmetal Alchemist himself was going to be her teacher. "Yep!" She soured then, looking at the five books in front of her.

She felt something nudge her in the side and Noah was looking at her. "What's with the face?" He asked.

Ivy darted her eyes away embarrassed. "I just..." Noah leaned forward expectantly. "Ed's a tough teacher," she finally explained, "And I have to read all of these books and be tested on it tomorrow."

Noah blanched, looking at the books and then back at her bewilderment. "But these are huge!"

"I know!" she exclaimed, finally relieved someone else held her same sentiment. Not even Al had stuck up for her at the unreasonable assignment. But then again, he _also_ was a child prodigy and probably didn't think twice about it. "I have no idea how I'm going to finish it all by tomorrow..."

Noah looked at her, then back at the books. _These are, what? A thousand pages each?_ He thought, flipping to the end of the book he had picked up. The number stopped at 783 pages... _or 738_ , he corrected himself, once he glanced at the number again. He relaxed a bit, though not by much. It'd take him _months_ to read through all of this, and Ivy was expected to do it all by tomorrow.

"Is he blind or is he just an asshole?" He asked incredulously.

"Neither," Ivy said, jumping to his defense quickly, but glumly, "He's just a dumb genius who can probably do this with his eyes closed," she grumbled.

He blinked. He didn't know if Ivy was exaggerating when she had called him a genius, but now thinking about it, he remembered he was enlisted at twelve years old. Not only that, but he vaguely remembered Ivy mentioning the brothers being prodigies or something when she was telling him about the story. He glanced at Ivy's pouting face and felt the tug of sympathy in his chest and mumbled a few curses under his breath. Stupid girls and their way of making him do things he didn't want to. He angrily swiped _Organic Chemistry Volume 1_ back up and opened it.

He saw Ivy look at him strangely in the corner of his eye, but he ignored her, trying to put all of his focus into the words before him.

"Noah?"

"I'll help you out," he said, not believing the words coming out of his mouth, "Between the two of us, we should be able to finish it."

He saw Ivy brighten. "Really?" She asked excitedly. He nodded reluctantly. "Oh, Noah, thank you! You're a life saver!"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled.

She grabbed one book that had a bookmark in it titled _The Basic Principles of Chemistry_ and began reading, now with a smile on her face. She settled into the couch, her feet tucked under her.

Noah sighed. What on earth did he agree to? He was no good at school. Hell, he struggled at _reading._ And he told her he would read at least half. What was he thinking?

He looked at the girl before him who was still smiling, almost humming as she read. He wanted to be bitter, but how could he when she was so happy? He sighed again, shaking his head. It was his own damn fault. He just hated it when girls were upset. It made him feel all sorts of uncomfortable; god forbid she cried. He would _really_ feel uncomfortable then.

 _Well, it's not gonna read itself,_ he thought bitterly, looking back down at the words on the page. Then he began to read.

* * *

Noah wanted to punch himself in the face.

Time seemed like it was on pause as he turned the page. He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and was stunned. He looked back down on the book in his hands and paled. He only managed to get in 43 pages in an hour?! He frantically checked the girl sat next to him and was shocked. She was concentrating, her brow furrowed as she turned another page in her fingers. He knew she was only a tiny chunk or so in, but now it looked like she was nearing half the book! Was she some sort of speed-reader or something?!

He dejectedly looked at the measly 43 pages he had struggled through. Was there even a point to him helping her? It looked like he might just be slowing her down.

He cursed under his breath. He wanted to _help_ dammit. If what Ivy said was true, then that meant alchemy was the way out. He wanted to learn with her. Two heads were better than one. But staring down at the books littered on the table, he was starting think there was no chance at him ever comprehending this alchemy stuff. He just wasn't good at stuff like this. Hands on labor? Sure. Sports? Perfect. This scientific crap? No way.

He sighed, trying to focus on the words on the paper before him again. The letters started to blur, crawling across and upward and down. The longer he stared at it, the more the words jumbled into an incoherent mess. He shook his head. This was pointless. He'd never be able to understand this. And even if he tried, it would probably take him _years_ to understand. Frustration welled up in him. He wanted to _stop_ being useless. But at the rate he was going, there was no way they'd get back home. They didn't have years to spend. They needed to get back home as soon as possible.

He looked at Ivy who started playing with a lock of hair as she read.

 _I'm sorry, Ives,_ he thought pathetically at her.

Suddenly, she snapped the book closed. "FRICKIN'—!" She exclaimed, throwing the book back down on the table. She buried her face in her hands. "This is so—!"

He jumped, staring warily at the girl who was still mumbling angrily. "Ives...?"

She looked back at him and with a shot of panic, he saw her eyes were filling with tears. "I'm sorry, Noah!" She exclaimed.

He subconsciously leaned away from her, flustered as she stared at him. "S-sorry for what?" He asked nervously.

"For this!" She gestured emphatically to the books on the table. "I keep reading and reading and all of it is so, _so—_ I feel like I'll _never_ understand it!"

He felt a surge of panic as tears rolled down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands again and her shoulders began to shake as she sobbed.

"W-wait, hold on, don't cry!" He said futilely as she started sniffling. He felt himself cringe as she continued, wiping at her face to get rid of tears that were replaced as quickly as she removed them. He looked around him frantically, searching for something _, anything,_ to make her stop.

"I'm—" she heaved in a shaky breath. "S-sor-ree!"

He felt all the color drain from his face. Fucking hell, what was he supposed to do _now?_

"Hey, hey, look," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and he tried not to shy away when he saw her red, puffy eyes. "It's not the end of the world."

"But I—!" She sniffled and started to wipe at her eyes as more tears fell. "If I don't get it, how are we supposed to get home?!"

He felt a bit relieved, ironically. It was comforting to know that she was struggling as much as he was. "Look," he said, keeping his voice even, "it's okay if you don't get it."

"But—!"

"No buts," he cut her off, feeling an annoying wave of deja vu at the conversation, "It's okay."

She sniffled.

"I don't get it either," he admitted, feeling his face flush at the confession. "And it's only been, what? A day? No one's gonna blame you for not understanding it immediately."

She seemed to consider this, reaching up and wiping at her eyes again with the heel of her palm.

"But in all those fanfictions, the protagonist _always_ gets it quickly," she mumbled. He was confused by what she meant, but ignored it for now.

"Yeah, well, I doubt they get it in under twenty four hours," he said, "You just gotta keep going at it. Not give up before you even tried." As he said that, the irony didn't escape him. _He_ had been thinking of giving up just a bit ago and he wasn't even an hour in. He felt even more embarrassed at himself. "So, we just gotta keep going. I'll help too. I mean, between the two of us we should be able to figure it out, right?"

After a moment, she nodded. The corners of her lips twitched up. He gave her a hesitant smile back.

"So, we'll figure it out together. Okay?" He asked.

She darted her eyes away, seeming to perk up, finally. She sniffled, giving him a smile. "Okay."

"Good," he finished, not knowing how to continue this exchange. He gave an awkward pat to her shoulder when he realized he was still holding it and turned away, running a hand through his hair. He didn't expect to be able to cheer her up. He was never good at that kind of thing. He chuckled. Hughes must be rubbing off on him. At least that wasn't a bad thing.

"Hey, Noah?"

He looked back at her. "Yeah?"

"Can we take a break? I'm hungry," she said and as if to prove her point, her stomach growled loudly. He couldn't help the laugh from coming out his mouth.

"Sounds good," he said, standing up. He held out a hand to Ivy and she took it, standing as well.

As if on cue, the door opened and the Hughes family came waltzing in. "NOAH, IVY!" Came the familiar shout.

They both turned to see Hughes carrying bags of groceries and Elycia clinging to the skirts of her mother. Upon seeing Ivy, Elycia broke out into a huge grin, running over. "Ivy!" She exclaimed, barreling into Ivy's thighs.

The older girl laughed shakily, blinking away the last bits of tears before the Hughes's could see. "Hey there," she greeted, hugging the girl.

"We got apples for pie!" She told her excitedly.

Ivy looked up at Gracia for confirmation who nodded, chuckling. Hughes disappeared into the kitchen, probably to put down the groceries.

"Would you mind giving me a hand in making it, Ivy?" Gracia asked.

Ivy smiled. "Not at all, Mrs. Gracia."

For the next hour or so, Ivy and Noah helped Gracia make pie, and consequently dinner. Well, it was more like Ivy helped and Noah passed them the utensils and ingredients. Hughes kept Elycia preoccupied, every now and then coming in and 'tasting for poison.' It was fun. And as Ivy mixed ingredients in and cooked, she slowly began understanding the chemical reactions taking place before her, at least a little. Suddenly learning chemistry became less daunting, and she felt the glimmers of hope shine through.

However.

She kept glancing at Hughes as he joked and laughed and hugged his family.

Slowly, the inklings of a plan began unraveling in her mind.

 _I hope you know what you're doing..._

'Yes,' agreed Ivy in her head, 'I hope I know what I'm doing too.'

Inner Voice went eerily silent.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

Ivy nodded, whirling around and shifting the stack of books in her arms. "I'm sure."

Noah made an expression that looked like an in between of a frown and a smile of relief. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "At least let me bring them down for you."

Ivy wasn't going to object. The things were heavy.

Noah took the stack of books from Ivy's arms and they turned to the Hughes family.

"Wait!" Gracia called, running toward them. She handed Ivy a basket. Curious, Ivy lifted the blanket covering it and marveled when she saw the apple pie.

"I can't—" Ivy began but stopped when Gracia shook her head.

"Take it to those Elric boys," she said.

Ivy nodded, taking the wicker basket from the woman. "Okay."

Ivy called out her thanks and waved goodbye before leaving the apartment. As Noah and Ivy made their way to the stairwell, Ivy was the one to go down first.

"You're sure you don't want me to keep a few of them?" Came Noah's voice from behind her.

She smiled, turning her head to him. "I'm sure," she repeated, trying not to chuckle, "I won't have enough time to come back here, swap notes with you, memorize the new notes, and then go and meet Ed and Al again. It's best if I just look over it myself." She turned her head forward again, lest she miss a step and go falling down the stairs.

Noah was quiet again, but she didn't miss the relieved sigh behind her. "If you say so."

"Thank you, by the way."

"Huh?"

She fidgeted with the basket in her hands, tracing the woven wicker under her fingertips. "For trying to help," she clarified, "And cheering me up. I really needed that kick in the butt."

"...Don't worry about it," he mumbled.

Ivy felt her smile grow wider. It felt really good to know that Noah wasn't a complete jerk. And maybe, possibly, they really could be friends.

Soon enough, they reached the lobby and began to approach the front door. Upon opening it, she saw Havoc again, in his car, waiting for her. Noah filed in behind her, dropping the books in the backseat while Ivy settled in the front.

"I'll take notes on each book for you," she said, shifting so she could watch him through the gaps of the front seat.

"Okay."

"And I'll make it short hand so it's easier to go through!"

"Mmhm."

"And then when you come back we can go over it together."

"Yep."

"And—"

"See ya tomorrow, Ives," Noah cut her off, shutting the backseat door. He gave a nod toward Havoc before retreating back into the apartment complex. Ivy pouted at his retreating back but once he had left and the car began ambling out, her expression melted into one of dread. She glanced at the stack of books behind her tiredly. She had some serious work cut out for her.

All at once, she remembered the conversation she had with Noah earlier. She felt the dull ache in her chest as it made her remember her friends back home. It sounded just like what they used to tell her when she'd get frustrated about school work.

She swallowed, clenching her hands into fists. The memory of her friends and family renewed the resolve in her chest. She was going to figure this out and return to them, no matter what it takes.

"If I can finish an entire final project the night before, I can sure as hell read all that before morning," she said resolutely.

Havoc glanced at her. "You say something, girly?"

She blushed, flinching when she realized she had said it aloud. "Nothing! Just talking to myself."

Havoc rolled his eyes and focused on the road before him again.

* * *

 **Fun Fact about NK:**

 **Sometimes for certain classes, I was given a project to have completed as our final. My teachers knew it would be a lot of tedious work and assigned it at the very beginning of the semester to work on as we inched closer to finals week. What did NK do every goddamn time? Wait the night before to complete a semester's worth of work.**

 **...still got an A though!**

 **I wonder if any of you get this reference for the chapter title. Hint: it's a lyric again**

 **Until next chap**


	16. All According to Plan (Hopefully)

**Chapter 15: All According to Plan...Hopefully**

 _ **For everyone who got an email yesterday saying that I updated a new chapter, I'm sorry! This is the one, and I accidentally went and posted it while my mind was on autopilot! Don't worry, you didn't miss an update. I deleted it immediately after I realized I posted too early. Anywho, onto the chapter!**_

* * *

"Kinetic molecular theory?"

"All substances are made of atoms that are in constant motion!"

"For the sake of simplicity, instead of atoms, refer to them as particles."

"Right."

"How do these particles interact?"

"Two ways! Physically, where a physical change occurs, or chemically, where a chemical change occurs."

"Good," Ed remarked.

Ivy suppressed the urge to yawn and instead took a sip of her probably tenth cup of coffee. She had pulled a proper all nighter and practically ran to her dorm room upon getting back from the Hughes's. She threw herself headlong into the chemistry texts, even going as far as taking a freezing cold shower in order to wake herself up when she realized she was dozing off at 4AM. She had brewed cup after cup of coffee and after a while she thought the caffeine seemed to stop working. However, the shakiness of her hands and her inability to stop tapping her foot or fingers had been giveaways that, yes, it _was_ working.

She almost didn't make it. She didn't realize how much she used to rely on typing to do her notes. In the midst of her intense studying, she wished for nothing more than her laptop to do quick google checks or even crash-courses on YouTube. She pushed the time Ed asked to meet, haphazardly skimming through the last two books and re-reading her notes before running to the Elric brothers' dorm with a minute before being late, balancing yet another full cup of coffee in her hands.

Edward was awake and fully dressed by the time she had arrived and he didn't even let her enter the room before questioning her, which Alphonse protested to. She dutifully answered each question, panicking whenever he frowned when she wouldn't answer right away. Alphonse would chime in with an explanation whenever she said something that wasn't complete or incorrect. She currently sat on the ground across from Edward, with Alphonse stood vigilantly, ensuring his brother wasn't being too unreasonable.

"Law of conservation of mass?" He asked.

"Mass is neither created nor destroyed in chemical reactions," she recited, "The mass of any one element at the start of a reaction will be equal to that of the mass at the end of the reaction."

He nodded. "Good."

She smiled, relieved she had been right, and went to raise her coffee cup to her lips when something occurred to her. "Wait."

Ed raised a brow.

"Mass at the start of a reaction will be equal to the mass at the end of the reaction," she repeated, looking at Ed whose face remained neutral. "That's Equivalent Exchange. Matter can't be created or destroyed, only transferred to one form to another."

A smirked tugged on the corner of Ed's mouth and he sat up straight, crossing his arms over his chest triumphantly. "And...?" He prompted.

She thought for a moment, brows pinched together in concentration. She sifted through the overload of chemistry facts in her brain, searching for something more. She bounced her head up when it came to her. "That's also the same for the law of conservation of energy!" Ivy exclaimed. "Energy is constant—conserved over time. It can only be transferred to one form to the next. Like in a transmutation!"

Ed broke out into a grin. "Bingo, kid."

"And that's why you must know chemistry before alchemy," Al said cheerfully. "Good job, Ivy!"

Ivy preened at the praise.

Ed stood, stretching as he did. "Alright then. I think it's time for a break." Ed immediately flocked to the wicker basket. He wasted no time uncovering it. "Aw, hell yeah! Gracia's apple pie!"

"Brother, you really should eat lunch before desert," Al called, though it sounded lighthearted.

The sound of lunch and food was tempting, but Ivy was too tired to get up and make it. She instead set her mug down to the side of her and slowly sat back until she leaned far enough back she was laying down. The wooden floor was not comfortable in the slightest but at the moment, she was too exhausted to care.

She didn't even realize she had closed her eyes until she heard Al's voice go, "Did Ivy fall asleep?"

"She better not," Ed said, though his words were slightly muffled for some reason.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Al admonished. Ah. So that's why.

"Hey, kid!"

Ivy groaned in response.

"See? She's awake," Ed said.

"Are you okay, Ivy?" Al asked in that concerned way of his.

Ivy forced herself to sit up and open her eyes. She saw Ed over the counter, shoving as much apple pie as he could into his mouth while Alphonse was turned to her and she could see his worried look from where she was sitting.

"Yeah, I'm okaaaaay," she said, a yawn stretching out the last word. She reached back for her mug and frowned when she realized it was empty.

"Did you get enough sleep?" Al asked.

"No," Ivy said truthfully. She was too tired to lie. "I pulled an all nighter to finish all of those books."

At that, Ed perked up. He swallowed whatever food was still in his mouth and turned his head to her. "You read it all?"

"Every frikin' word," she said dryly. "With notes." She was tired, but she couldn't help the swell of pride when she told him that. It was a feat she wasn't sure she could do, but she did. She thought she earned herself a right to brag about it.

Ed smirked. "Huh."

Ivy raised a brow. "'Huh' what?" She didn't like how smug it sounded.

"I didn't expect you to finish all that, is all," he said. He went to take a sip of his own coffee that he had probably made while she was closing her eyes.

She was exasperated. "Then why the hell did you tell me to read it all before today?!"

"To see how far I can push you," Ed replied simply, in a 'duh' tone. "Now I know you can handle a lot more." He grinned. "Don't expect me to go easy on ya now that I know."

Ivy was floored. She couldn't even put it into words.

"Don't be mean, Brother..." Al said.

Ed scoffed. "Oh, please. I'm being an _angel_ in comparison to what Teacher made us go through."

Ivy fumed, all momentary pride of finishing an assignment forgotten. _You mean I didn't have to do all that?!_ She thought angrily, glaring at the blonde who was still grinning smugly. She could have slept, could have taken a regular, pleasant shower—she didn't have to _cry_ about feeling like she couldn't do it! She pushed a hand through her hair in frustration, finding her fingers get caught in the tangles. _I could have BRUSHED my hair!_

She stood and stomped her way to the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" She heard Edward call.

"I'M GOING TO BED!" She shouted and hesitated at the door, and at the last moment, decided to slam it closed for good measure.

Ed and Al stared at the place she left.

"Jeez, what's her problem?" Ed asked.

Al turned to his brother who only stared at the door obliviously. He went to scold him, but instead sighed and shook his head. "You're so dense, Brother..."

He raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing..."

* * *

Noah walked down the hall, careful not to jostle the two lunch boxes Gracia had given him. It felt weird not to walk into HQ with Hughes. Hughes had some work down at the station and instead dropped him off at the front gates. He had to give the two guards up front his new ID and the letter Mustang had given him that allowed him access. The guards seemed relieved that he finally was properly documented, but he didn't miss the annoyed glares they shot after him from being able to escape protocol as long as he had.

Luckily, he didn't have too hard of a time navigating the halls, since he had walked them a few times now. He balanced the bag on his hip and knocked on Ivy's door. He waited, but no response. He knocked again, this time louder.

No response.

He felt a jolt of panic, but quickly calmed himself down. _It's fine,_ he chided himself. _No need to freak out, Shasta. Just try the door._ With a leap of faith, he reached for the doorknob, once again surprised it was unlocked. She really had to get in the habit of locking her door; that was a dangerous lapse of memory.

He was surprised the dorm was flooded in darkness and he fondled the wall for the light switch. Once he clicked it on, he cringed.

"Shit, sorry!"

Ivy didn't move, annoyed at having been woken up, like he expected. She was still fast asleep, cheek pressed into her pillow. He debated leaving, but then thought fuck it _,_ and walked in, closing the door behind him. The only option he had was to go hang out with Mustang's crew until she woke up, which really didn't appeal to him. He guessed he could go find Edward and Alphonse, but truthfully, after the disaster of a meeting they had, he wasn't too keen without Ivy there to act as mediator. So he stayed put.

He made the way to the kitchen counter and was shocked at the mess it was in. He wasn't a clean freak—it just was a shock considering the complete and utter cleanliness of everything else around him. Papers and the books she had were thrown haphazardly all across it and he pushed some of it aside in order to put the lunch boxes on the counter.

He wanted to ignore it but the pull in his gut and the incessant warning bells in his head made him go and start tidying it up.

Okay, maybe he _was_ a clean freak. He blames it all on his uncle—a decade out of the military, but he still kept the annoying habits, like waking up at dawn and keeping everything spotless. The habits were harmless in and of themselves—useful even— but Uncle Ben was determined to make sure these habits were ingrained into Noah, through any means necessary. _Damn that guy,_ he thought bitterly, though he couldn't muster up any true ill feelings toward the man. After all, he and Grams had raised him after Gwen Shasta's untimely death.

As he gathered the chemistry books into one pile, he couldn't help but notice that there were papers shoved hastily inside the pages, staggered, as if they were makeshift bookmarks. Curious, he opened one of them up and blinked when he saw the hastily written notes. He eyed the disastrous mess on the table, all decorated with the cursive-print he recognized as Ivy's handwriting. Notes scattered all over the table, in addition to being stuffed into the very books it was taken on. He could see which she she had started first, as the later notes' handwriting was messier and less easy to read.

He hoped it wasn't in any order, because he scooped it all into one neat stack, setting it next to the tower of books in the corner of the countertop. He moved to open the lunchbox when he noticed the copious amount of mugs in the sink.

"How many mugs did Mustang stock in here?" He griped to himself, rolling his sleeves up.

Noah didn't notice how much time had passed since he got there and began cleaning the place up. Admittedly, the worst was done after the sink and countertop, but Ivy was still passed out and he was restless, so he continued cleaning every inch until no speck of dust existed within that dorm room. After a while, he stopped caring about making so much noise considering Ivy made no indication of waking, nor any movement at all. In fact, he checked every few minutes to make sure she was still breathing and alive since she didn't even move to suggest otherwise.

He had just gotten done cleaning the sink in the bathroom when a knock on the door caught his attention. He wiped his hand on a dish towel he snagged from the kitchen before he opened the door.

"Noah?"

"Uh, hey," he greeted, having to stop himself from doing a double take upon seeing the suit of armor again. "You're...Alphonse, right?"

Said suit of armor nodded. "That's right," he chirped. "Um, is Ivy not here?"

Noah snorted, opening the door wider so Al could see further into the room and see the girl that was still flopped face first onto the bed, motionless. "Nah, she's here; just passed out."

"Oh, I see."

The two of them then lapsed into an awkward silence. Neither of them really knew what to do with the other, considering both only knew of each other via the unconscious one, so it was hard to trudge up any conservation topics. Noah felt himself inwardly cringe at how awkward it was between them and decided to take the initiative.

"Sorry about, uh, earlier," he said, figuring it was a good start.

It took Al a moment to figure out what he said, but upon remembering, he straightened, hands out in a dismissive gesture. "Oh no, don't worry about it," he said quickly. Noah noticed his words echoed slightly, as if there really was a small boy inside the giant armor. "I'm sorry about my brother. He can be a bit, um, hot headed."

Noah scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Nah, it's fine, man. I mean, he was probably just trying to stick up for you." He laughed then, though it was partially forced. "Besides, I kind of picked a fight with him too."

Al shook his head. "No, don't apologize. Brother shouldn't have been so tactless. If anything, he was looking for a fight," he huffed and Noah smirked upon hearing the annoyed reprimanding tone.

He nearly smacked himself in the head. "Shit, sorry." He stepped aside, gesturing for Al to enter. "Come in."

Alphonse entered and Noah closed the door behind him, though he accidentally shut it too forcefully, slamming the door slightly. For the first time, Ivy moved, rolling over to her side, tucking herself into a fetal position.

"Holy crap, she moved!"

Al laughed then, but quietly, mindful of the sleeping girl. "Yeah. She had said she pulled an all-nighter. She must be exhausted."

He glanced at the books and copious amounts of notes. "That would explain it."

They lapsed into another silence, though this one wasn't as long. Alphonse perused the notes littering the countertop while Noah looked at the back of Ivy's head. She worked her ass off to finish all of that. He needs to start pulling his weight too. She rolled over again.

 _THUMP_

"OW!"

Ivy groggily sat up, rubbing her head from the fall. She blinked into the light. "Noah...?" She squinted. "Al?"

"Are you okay, Ivy?" Alphonse asked immediately, squatting down to help her up. Noah couldn't help but snicker as she stood.

"I'm okay, but ouch that frikin' hurt..." she mumbled, rubbing the spot on her head she hit. She seemed more awake now, looking at both of them in confusion. "Um...I don't want to be rude, but why are you here and when did you come in?"

"Noah let me in," Al explained and she shot a confused look at Noah who put his hands up in surrender.

"You need to learn to lock your doors, Ives," he said simply. "And I've been here for like, I don't know, an hour maybe?" Her face fell into that panicked worry and he shook his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

"You should have woken me up," she said, sitting on the bed. He only shrugged.

"Well, you were so exhausted I doubt Noah could wake you up even if he tried," came Al's voice. "Brother was wondering where you went off to."

Realization lit up in her eyes and she looked at Alphonse with embarrassment and apology. She began speaking in a quick, rushed babble. "Oh god, I'm so sorry about earlier. I was just really cranky and tired and—is Ed angry at me? Does he not want to teach me anymore? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—" She stood up abruptly. "I'll go apologize—"

"Ivy!" Al cut her off, hands out to stop her before she walked out of the room. "You're okay! Brother's not mad at all."

She looked up at him hopefully. "Really?" She asked in a small voice.

He nodded. "Yes! Don't worry about it so much," he said, "In fact, I've come over to tell you he wants you to review stoichiometry and chemical reactions."

She blinked. "Oh." She fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "So...he _isn't_ mad?"

Al chuckled. "Of course not."

Noah wondered what in the world Ivy could have done to make her think he was mad. And why she was so panicked over the possibility.

"That reminds me..." she murmured, buzzing over to the countertop. She rummaged through the papers, spreading them out haphazardly again, much to Noah's chagrin. She plucked a few and took two books from the stack, carrying them over to the door. "I have a few questions about that."

Wordlessly, as if there was some unspoken agreement Noah wasn't aware of, both Alphonse and Ivy began moving toward the door. He followed after them, unsure of what else to do. After a turn, Alphonse turned the knob to another dorm room labeled 153. It wasn't a huge difference, but he noticed it was bigger than the one Ivy was in. It was hard to tell with all the boxes and books littering the floors, but if they wanted —after cleaning this _disaster—_ they could put a couch and a coffee-table in the middle of the room.

Edward was lounging on the twin-sized bed when they walked in, nose buried in a book about as thick as the ones he handed Ivy. He barely noticed their presence, his golden irises scanning the words of the page so quickly Noah wondered if he was even reading it at all. He turned a page.

"Brother," Alphonse called in a loud voice. "Ivy's back."

It took Ivy actually walking over to the bed and plopping the two textbooks near his leg to get him to even glance at the two of them. When she nudged him with one of the books, flipping the cover open to hit his leg, he finally snapped his attention away from his book. Upon seeing her flipping through the pages, he sat up lazily, placing the one he was reading down next to him.

"Done throwing a fit?" he asked, earning a glare from her.

"Ha-ha," she replied monotonously. She continued flipping through the pages, her eyes lighting up as she came across what she was looking for. "I'm having some problems with limiting reagents."

He immediately straightened, bending over to look at the page she was pointing at. He frowned slightly, a hand cupping his chin in thought. "What has you confused?" He asked, his tone shifting from teasing into that of a teacher who's taught for years.

"Like, I know that it determines how much product can be produced in a reaction, but I don't _understand,"_ she said, her brows cinching together. "And how does it apply to percent yields? Theoretical yields, actual yields? I don't get the difference."

"I see. Look at it this way..." As they began speaking about some scientific gibberish, Noah gave up on trying to listen in.

"Noah." The sound of Al's still surprisingly young voice caught his attention. He flitted his eyes up to look at the strange red lights that served as his eyes. "I think there's still a slice of apple pie left if you want it."

Noah felt his mouth water at the mention. He had just a teasing single slice of the pie that Ivy and Gracia made yesterday and hot damn, it was to die for. He eagerly made his way around the boxes toward the kitchen counter. Alphonse reached into a cupboard above the sink and procured a plate and put the last slice on it. Al placed it before him and Noah, with a murmur of thanks, immediately began wolfing it down, his tastebuds dying in ecstasy.

He hadn't tasted anything quite like Gracia's cooking before. If there was a stark difference between Mrs. Hughes and his mother, it was definitely the skill in the kitchen. His mom—as much as he adored her—was admittedly the absolute worst at cooking. He definitely inherited that trait. However, she did _try_ , if any of the charred dinners she had attempted were any testament to that. They usually would drive on over to his grandmother's house, or if she was tired of hearing Grams berate her for being unable to cook, some take-out.

He took another bite, the memory bittersweet in his mind.

" _Your father was the most amazing cook, Noah-honey," she said wistfully, picking up some chow-mein with her chopsticks. She laughed. "I think that was part of the reason I fell in love with him. Take note! Every woman loooooves a man that can cook!"_

He frowned. Every time he would remember her, _he'd_ somehow creep up in it, ruining the mood. He never understood how his mom—someone as _wonderful_ as Gwen Shasta—would fall in love with that bastard.

Noah put another forkful of apple pie in his mouth, determined not to let _him_ ruin his good mood, and did what he did best: observe.

He watched as Ivy and Ed hovered over the textbook. They had since transferred from the bed and made their way to the desk in the corner, standing over it, ignoring the chair. Alphonse had also made his way over, pointing and offering assistance to whatever Ivy was having problems with. At first he had thought Ivy and Ed were the same height, however looking at them now, he could see Ivy was actually an inch or two taller, when she wasn't trying to make herself appear smaller. He snorted. Seeing Al tower over the both of them, though, they seemed comically short.

As the years went on, he usually found himself just watching, observing, absorbing. Granted, the habit was born out of unsavory circumstances—San Francisco wasn't exactly the _safest_ place to live— but it wasn't so bad. He was just more interested in people-watching rather than talking to the aforementioned people. There were things that people didn't say or talk about that he could figure out by how they carried themselves. For example...

He watched how Ivy's shoulders broadened, her head bobbing up and down in understanding to whatever the brothers were saying. From the short while he's known her, she always appeared to make herself smaller. Whether that be by slouching or turning her shoulders inward or even hiding behind her curtain of hair. She was always on edge, testing the waters, as if she were afraid she'd take a wrong step forward. She was out of her element and it was painfully obvious.

However, as she spoke to Alphonse about the work in front of her, she stood straighter, taller, more confident. She had complained—hell, even _cried_ —at the workload the night before, but he remembered how at ease she had seemed in that hour they had read together. He recalled the copious notes and how structured and detailed they had been. If he had to take a guess, he'd say that school was her life and that she took her studies very seriously. Within books, she seemed at ease. If the change in her demeanor now wasn't enough proof, if he thought back to the day he met her, he remembered seeing her hunched over a textbook, explaining things to her friend in the same manner the Elric brothers were doing so for her now.

He smirked then to himself. Her friend— what was her name again? _Ashley,_ he thought, the name registering an image in his mind. Beautiful blue eyes and long, thick blonde hair. Slender, but shapely, with a tiny waist and legs that went for miles. He'd be lying if he said his gentleman/hero act for the two friends was purely out of the goodness of his heart. In fact, the whole reason he had even approached Ivy again and bought her that hot chocolate was so she would put good word for him with Ashley. _Especially_ after she had almost broken his nose. He felt a shock of pain in his nose again at the memory and he scratched the nose-bridge reflexively.

The things he'd do for a pretty girl. Of all the things he had done to impress girls, he had to admit, he hadn't exactly taken a punch to the face yet.

Edward broke from the brainiac huddle then. He made a few steps, weaving through the boxes that still gave Noah anxiety, and eventually found the one he was looking for. He bent down and Noah noticed he braced himself before kneeling, as if his knees bothered him. Noah only really saw older men or student athletes who had injured themselves do that. A flicker of a memory from what Ivy info-dumped on him earlier that week resurfaced. Didn't she say something about him losing a leg or something? He had a prosthetic, though she called it 'automail' if his memory served right.

Edward held his left knee as he rummaged through the box. Noah never quite met someone who had lost a limb. Uncle Ben talked a bit about his army buddies that lost a limb or so in their deployment to Afghanistan, but Noah never actually met them.

He sighed, Ivy's words about 'getting along' echoing in his head, melding with his mom's words. " _If you wrong someone, you own up to it and apologize,"_ she would say. " _Only little kids don't say 'sorry' when they did something mean."_

" _I'm not a little kid!" Young Noah would protest._

 _Gwen put both hands on her hips and leaned down sarcastically. "Then go apologize if you're such a man now!'_

He scowled at the reprimand even now. She had a point, but it didn't mean he had to like it. Especially since the little guy was frustrating as is. Something about him was irritating and Noah couldn't put his finger on exactly what. Something told him he was being ridiculous and just holding a grudge from their earlier argument, but he decided to ignore it. After all, it didn't seem like Ed was fond of him either.

He got up from his place at the kitchen counter and made his way over to the short blonde. Sucking up his pride, he opened his mouth, "Hey."

Edward looked up, his expression melting into a frown immediately. He stood up, trying to look up at Noah as much as he could without lifting his chin. "What do _you_ want?" Both Ivy and Alphonse had paused their chat, looking over at the exchange curiously.

"You piss me off."

Ed blinked.

"You piss me off too," he snarked back, though he was too confused for it to have its usual sting.

"So we agree on something," Noah concluded. He held his hand out. "I'm sorry about earlier. Truce?"

Edward stared at the hand outstretched to him, his eyes flitting up to meet Noah's hesitantly. Eventually, Ed's expression eased into a lazy smirk. "Truce." He grasped Noah's hand and gave one shake.

Both boys turned their heads at the sound of a loud sigh. Ivy was staring at them incredulously, fingers pressed to her temple as if warding off a headache. "When I said to stop alpha male fighting, that isn't exactly what I meant."

"Alpha- _what?"_ Ed questioned. Noah simply shrugged in response.

She rolled her eyes, muttering something about testosterone, then loudly proclaimed, " _Anyway!"_ And turned back to Alphonse and the book they were huddled over. "What were you saying, Al?"

Al chuckled a bit before going, "Right. So, if you look at this way..."

* * *

Ivy never liked describing passages of time as a 'blur' because it never felt like it had applied to her. She was always cognizant of time, always present in whatever activity filled the day, and paying attention to how the clock moved in relation to such. Her life was always dictated on the hour, on the minute, even. There was a reason she set copious alarms and always had her pocket watch handy. However, as the week droned by, she couldn't help but describe it in any other way.

After her brief tutoring session, she and Noah meandered back to her dorm to go over her notes. Normally she found it tedious to go over material again—when teachers recapped yesterday's lesson for more than ten minutes, she was bored out of her mind—but considering how much she still struggled with the new concepts, she was more than happy going over it in detail with Noah. She learned better from speaking aloud, anyway.

That was more or less how her week went. After having read all the books, Ed cut her some slack and told her to go over one book at a time, but in detail this time. She'd pour over one textbook with Noah at a time, go over concepts she didn't understand with the Elrics, then go on back to review and move on to the next book, and repeat.

Noah usually showed up in the morning and they'd both go over to Ed and Al's dorm for a quick Q&A about last night's 'homework.' Though, it was more Ivy and Alphonse discussing chemistry while Noah and Ed bickered over one thing or another. Despite Noah insisting he wanted to learn alchemy as well, it seemed he was more interested in poking fun at the young alchemist instead. Nevertheless, he _did_ try to understand and never complained, even though Ivy could tell he was having more trouble than she at grasping the material.

She appreciated the effort.

Between study sessions, Hughes would often jailbreak them and bring the two back to the apartment for dinner. Elycia was always ecstatic about having not one, but _two_ playmates for the day. Ivy would assist Gracia in the kitchen as much as Gracia would allow and humor Hughes's gushing about his daughter. As much as Ivy adored the young girl, she couldn't help but feel an empty place in her heart whenever she'd see her.

Ivy watched as Noah played an intense game of tic-tac-toe with Elycia morosely. The more and more time she had spent with the two she found herself unable to view them as anything but big brother and younger sister. The resemblance was just uncanny and the way they interacted warmed her heart. She wondered if that's how she and Naomi looked like.

She glanced at the clock. 2:52PM. _Naomi would be getting out of school now,_ she realized. Ivy felt the tell-tale lump in her throat and saw tears begin to blur her vision. It's almost been two weeks. She never went longer than three days without seeing her sister. How was Naomi dealing with this? Did her mom explain to her what happened?

She cursed under her breath. Explain what exactly? How did one go about explaining that suddenly someone was gone? Did they think she ran away? Were they still even looking for her?

She swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat unsuccessfully.

Monday through Friday Ivy was there to wake Naomi up and get her ready for school. Did their mom even know which drawer kept her uniform? Did their mom know she preferred frosted flakes over honey-nut cheerios? Hell, did their mom even _wake up_ to get Naomi to school on time? As much as she loved their mother, there was doubt. She had been MIA until Ivy was eight years old—her father had been the one to raise her and her being gone doing whatever was the reason for their separation. When her mother told Ivy she was pregnant, she was incredibly worried. Ivy's father stepped up to take care of her on his own, but her mother's boyfriend was no such man.

So, it was Ivy who stepped up.

Ivy woke up whenever Naomi had in the middle of the night. She had changed her diapers, she had fed her, had bathed her. She helped her with her homework. Whenever Naomi cried, Ivy was there to dry the tears. Whenever Naomi was sick, she was there to nurse her back to health. Whenever Naomi needed someone, she was there.

It was always Ivy who made sure their mother was awake to bring them to school. It was always Ivy who called her to remind her to pick her up after school. It was _always_ Ivy. Their mother had cleaned up her act immensely since Ivy was a child, but was it enough?

" _Sissy?"_

Reflexively, Ivy snapped to attention. "Yeah, Naomi?" When she looked up, she froze. It was not chocolate brown eyes that greeted her, but Elycia's large green ones. Quickly, Ivy shook her head, plastering a smile on her face. "I'm sorry, I'm—I meant..."

Two sets of green eyes stared at her as she fumbled. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, collecting herself. It would do no good to cry in front of them. Ignoring Noah's questioning look, she turned to the girl and said, "Yes, Elycia?"

"Are you okay?" She asked, a pout on her lips.

The simple question held so much weight, but Ivy smiled. "I'm okay," she reassured in a quiet voice.

She immediately brightened. "Okay, Sissy!" At the familiar title, Ivy's chest tightened.

"Hey, Elycia, when did you start calling Ives that?" Noah said, asking the question Ivy was too upset to ask.

"Ivy is like my big sissy," she answered simply, as if it were common knowledge. She doodled on the page before her, much more interested in the picture she was creating than the two teens. "And you're Big Brother."

Noah blinked. "I'm what?"

"Big Brother," she repeated, still doodling.

"I thought Al was Big Brother," Noah said incredulously, a blush on his cheeks. When Noah had found out Elycia referred to Al as Big Brother and Ed as Little Big Brother in their one huge visit, he laughed until he cried, much to Edward's annoyance. Though, when Elycia began referring to _him_ as such, it had been a case of constant embarrassment.

Elycia just shrugged in response.

" _Kuya*,"_ Ivy said softly, catching the younger girl's attention and Noah's. "Noah is _Kuya."_

"Koo-yah?" Elycia questioned, frowning in confusion.

"It means older brother," Ivy explained, "And I'm your _Ate*._ Not...not 'sissy'."

"Okay!" She agreed easily, eager to go back to drawing.

Ivy smiled. It felt good to hear and say the familiar words. In a foreign world and country where everything was different, it was nice to use the language she had grown up hearing. It wasn't much of a difference, but it was better than nothing. 'Sissy' was...it was her sister's word. And as much as she loved Elycia, it was too much to be reminded of.

* * *

The rest of that evening went by in yet another blur. Dinner came and went, laughs and conversation exchanged easily, familiarly. It was almost routine now. Afternoons spent with the Hughes's and after dinner, Havoc would come by and pick her up. As Ivy laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling, it felt almost normal. If she ignored the dimension hopping, that is. If she concentrated, she could easily pretend that her only mission was to find a way back.

 _Your week is up._

Ivy wanted to be mad but Inner Voice was right. The wiggle room she gave herself was spent.

She pushed herself up and lifted the thin mattress pad off the bed frame. She picked up the few coins she had managed to pick up from the ground or in the couch cushions from the Hughes's. She had felt immensely guilty because it felt like stealing and almost put it back, but she remained firm. _A few coins and a few regrets were a small price to pay,_ her Inner Voice had said.

She made her way out of the barracks and wandered through the HQ halls, ducking behind corners and hiding in closets whenever she'd see someone pass by. She was allowed to be there, if the note Mustang had written for her had any weight, but it was late and she only had twenty minutes before Fuery came in for his watch. She didn't have time to be stopped and harassed by officers that demanded to know why she was there.

Ivy successfully ducked out of the Central HQ building without being spotted but as she sped-walked across the courtyard and toward the gates she felt her heart begin pounding. The officers upfront were definitely going to be suspicious about why she was leaving so late at night and even more suspicious when she returned.

Swallowing any spit she had in her mouth, she ducked her down and sped-walked out of the gates, hoping vainly that the officers were asleep on duty or too tired to care.

"Halt!"

Damn.

Slowly, she turned around. She was met with one of the officers towering above her while the other one stared at her warily with the rifle in his hands held at ready. The one towering above her had pale, blonde hair with streaks of gray creeping along the sides. Blue eyes that had maybe once been kind now looked at her coldly. The other officer was obviously younger, with a full head of yellow hair and appraising brown eyes.

"Um, hi there," she greeted when she looked up.

"ID," the man demanded.

She fumbled in her pockets to retrieve the laminated card and plopped it into his hands as requested. His cold blue eyes scanned across it. "Thompson, eh?"

"Yep, that's me," she chirped cheerfully. When he frowned, she flinched.

He tossed the card on the ground.

"Hey—!" She reached to get the card and he grabbed her wrist before she could.

"Against the wall," he spat. Ivy stared at his hand that gripped her wrist tightly before tugging it away, brows pinched together in confusion. Why was this guy being so rude? He pointed to the wall with an impatient look in his eyes. Wordlessly, she went toward the wall, next to the other officer.

"Hands up and on the wall," Officer Jerkwad barked.

She glanced behind her at him with a 'really?' look in her eyes and the other officer piped up.

"You should listen to him," he cautioned.

Ivy scoffed indignantly, but complied. She put her hands up on the wall. A moment later she felt hands come up on her waist and she jumped. "HEY—!"

"Shut up," Officer Jerkwad commanded, patting down her sides. Ivy felt him kick her legs open and she nearly stumbled but righted herself last moment as he pat down her sides. As he continued down her legs, realization dawned on her.

"Are you _frisking_ me?!" She asked in horror.

"Some foreigner was walking out of HQ," he commented dryly.

"Very suspicious," the other one added.

Ivy felt her blood run cold. She caught sight of her tan hands pressed against the wall and balled them into fists. "In my back pocket I have a letter telling you _exactly_ why I'm here," she snapped.

"Oh, really?" Jerkwad drawled. She turned her head to glare at him and gasped when he reached out and grabbed both her wrists, twisting them uncomfortably behind her back. She hissed in pain. "Well, then that 'letter' can bail you out of jail, then, right?"

At the mention of jail, Ivy's eyes widened in horror. "Just check it! It's in my back pocket! It's from Roy Mustang himself!"

She saw the other officer smirk and laugh. "The Flame Alchemist? What a load of shit."

She felt tears prick her eyes as both the officers laughed at her. Why weren't they listening to her?! She didn't do anything wrong!

" _...And it doesn't help that tensions are rising in the East and the bordering countries..."_

A snippet of the conversation she and Mustang had about her citizenship flashed in her mind and her stomach dropped. They had referred to her as 'some foreigner.' Amestris was a country at constant war and Ivy looked different than they did. She _was_ different.

She struggled against Jerkwad's hold. "Y-you better let me go or-or—!"

"Or what?" He asked snidely.

"I-I'll...!" She floundered for something to hold on to, something to threaten them. She had no idea the laws in Amestris or if they protected citizens from unjust treatment like this. The more she thought, the more they laughed, and she cursed when tears welled up in her eyes. She willed with all her being for them not to fall, to not show weakness in front of these...these assholes!

"Is something wrong here?"

A different voice snapped all of their attention. She saw the other officer snap into a salute and the one apprehending her stiffened, tightening his grip on Ivy's arms. She winced.

"First Lieutenant Hawkeye sir!"

At the name, Ivy bounced her head up to confirm and nearly cried in joy upon seeing the familiar blonde woman. "Ms. Hawkeye!"

The woman blinked when she noticed the young girl. The surprise did not last long as her expression melted into the picture of stoicism as she regarded both officers.

"What's going here?"

"Sir, we've apprehended this person on the premises," Jerkwad said.

"She had no form of identification and was resisting protocol," said the other one.

 _Liars!_ She wanted to screech at them. As she glared pointedly at the place where her ID card was, Jerkwad noticed and cleared his throat. The other officer understood immediately and took a step back, planting his shoe over it to hide it from sight.

Hawkeye studied the exchange carefully and moved forward. "Officer Shulz, unhand her now."

Jerkwad flinched at her tone but upon seeing her measured mahogany gaze reluctantly released Ivy's wrists from his hold. She jumped away from him, rubbing the tender flesh.

"Ms. Thompson is under Colonel Mustang's protection," she told them calmly.

"What?" They asked in unison.

"I _told_ you!" She burst out, finger pointing accusatorially at the two of them. Hawkeye raised a brow in her direction and immediately Ivy planted her arm at her side, looking away so she wouldn't see the embarrassed flush on her cheeks.

"Now that this misunderstanding is cleared up, I'm positive there won't be any more altercations in the future?" she asked the two of them.

Both looked away grumbling 'yes, sirs' under their breaths. Neither looked particularly apologetic, Ivy noted. The jerks.

"Good."

Hawkeye began walking away again and Ivy scrambled the match her pace. As they neared the two men, however, she marched up to the one standing on her ID card.

"Excuse me," she huffed. The officer scowled, stepping away and back to his post. Ivy made a show of reaching down and dusting off the laminated card, much to his annoyance, before hurrying after the woman. Thankfully, she noticed that Hawkeye had paused waiting for her. When Ivy reached her side, she turned to begin their descent down the steps.

"Lieutenant sir!" Jerkwad called.

Hawkeye only stopped mid-step.

"Make sure to tell that superior of yours to keep his mutts on a tighter leash!"

Ivy snapped her head back to glare at him. Hawkeye paid no mind, continuing on her way.

Silently, the two made their way down the large staircase. Ivy stole glances at the other woman as they walked, a pace or two behind her. Her perfect posture hadn't faltered once and Ivy envied the calm she had exuded and struggled to keep her hands from trembling. As it was, she had been very scared. If the lieutenant hadn't shown up when she did...She had obviously knew of the difference between 1915 and 2015, but now that she had seen and experienced it first hand, it all became clearer.

And she was scared.

"Pay them no mind."

At the sound of a voice, Ivy looked up to see the back of the older woman in front of her. At the sight of someone familiar, Ivy felt the tears she had been holding back resurface. "They wouldn't listen to me," she said, her voice quiet, "I did everything they asked me to. I showed them my ID and told them about the letter just like Mr. Mustang told me to but they wouldn't listen and—" She stopped speaking before her voice could crack and wiped angrily at her eyes and willed her heart to stop vibrating in her chest.

"It's okay," Hawkeye said, "You didn't do anything wrong."

At that, Ivy cursed as the tears bubbled over and fell down her cheeks. Her hands flew to her face, hiding it even though Hawkeye didn't turn around to see.

They continued to walk, the only sounds being their footsteps and Ivy's sniffling.

The night was quiet and the cool air was a welcome feeling. Ivy had been cooped up in the barracks or Hughes' apartment and didn't realize how much she missed cool, fresh air. Don't get her wrong, she loved the smell of books and even found herself half-enjoying studying, but there was something about being able to go outside and feel the cold air that always brightened her spirits.

She needed the fresh air. As she wiped her nose on her sleeve, she felt embarrassed at having broken down in front of the strong, never-wavering Hawkeye. Truthfully, she was still shaky, and her legs felt like gelatin whenever she thought back to the hatred she had seen in Officer Schulz's eyes.

She spotted a payphone in the distance, the same one she was _supposed_ to have gone to, before the...distraction. Hesitantly, she slowed her pace until she was at a complete stop, staring at the phone booth as if it held all life's answers and horrors all at once. Ivy stuck her hand in her pocket, feeling the coins bunch together in her palm.

"Do you need to make a call?" Hawkeye asked, making her jump in surprise and turn to see the woman's inquisitive expression.

She didn't expect Hawkeye to also stop, accounting she seemed rather indifferent about Ivy following her that she half figured Hawkeye had forgotten about her presence all together.

"I, um...yeah—yes! Yes, I do," she mumbled, staring at an interesting spot in the ground. She made the few steps to stand in front of the phone and glanced at Hawkeye warily.

As if sensing her awkwardness, Hawkeye nodded and walked a few feet forward, standing under a streetlight and staring at the road with newfound interest.

Ivy sighed in relief and fed the coins into the machine before dialing the number she had taken to memorizing. She was so thankful for no caller ID just then. Holding the unfamiliar piece to her ear she tapped her foot nervously as she waited for the line to connect.

A few rings went by endlessly and Ivy realized the fault in her 'plan' if no one picked up the phone. Granted, it wasn't _that_ late, but maybe they were asleep and didn't answer late phone calls? She frowned. She really hoped that wasn't the case.

A sudden _click_ made her flinch as she heard the irritated, familiar voice. " _Hello_?"

Ivy felt her breath get lodged in her throat. She froze, staring at the mouthpiece with new worry.

" _Hello_?" Edward asked again, the irritation rising.

She knew she was only a second away from getting hung up on and she sprung her plan into action. "Ask about a Dr. Tim Marcoh," she said hurriedly, mindful of her volume so Hawkeye wouldn't hear.

Silence.

Ivy felt her palms slick against the cool metal of the ear piece and she thought for a moment that Ed had hung up.

" _Who is this?"_

Ivy nearly exclaimed in relief, but she composed herself quickly, lowering her voice, pinching her nose, and changing her usual pitch, lest he recognize her. "Find the truth hidden within the truth. Dr. Tim Marcoh is the key."

" _Who the hell—_ "

Before she could hear the rest of Edward's sentence, she hung up.

Hearing the ear piece clang noisily against its place, she heaved another loud sigh of relief.

 _Step one: done._

Part of her considered just _telling_ them about Tim Marcoh's findings, but she eventually dismissed it. If she had done so while the library still stood, then events would still be off: no meeting with the Doctor meant no knowing of what went down in Ishval which meant them finding his research not burnt which meant no Sheska.

This was the best action for her to take. Of course, there was the threat that Ed would dismiss this as a prank call, but from the time she spent with him, she knew he wouldn't. She knew Ed would be too curious to _not_ look into it.

"Done?"

Ivy jumped when she saw the lieutenant looking over at her. She had almost forgotten she was there.

She nodded hurriedly. "Yes, ma'am."

Hawkeye nodded, and turned again. "Come along, then."

Ivy's brows pinched together in confusion but upon seeing the lieutenants fast pace, she hurried to fall in step beside her. "Um, Ms. Hawkeye...?" She asked hesitantly. "Shouldn't I go back to the barracks?"

"You want to face those officers again?" She asked with a slight brow raise.

At the thought of seeing Officer Jerkwad and his lackey again, she felt her heart begin to race. She quickly shook her head 'no.'

Hawkeye nodded. "I thought so."

They walked quietly for a bit.

"Um, Ms. Hawkeye, where are we going?"

"My apartment," came the obvious answer.

Ivy jumped, shaking her head vigorously. "I don't want to impose—"

"It'll just be for the night," the woman said. From the tone, Ivy knew it would useless to argue, and truthfully, she didn't feel like it. The alternative of going back to HQ and seeing the two men worried her too much. They continued to walk in a comfortable silence.

It wasn't long until Hawkeye turned and walked into a tall, rectangular building. Ivy managed to see the words _Central Pointe_ scrawled onto a sign in the window before following after the woman up the steps. After procuring a key from her pocket, they entered. It was fairly boring inside, with an empty front desk and a staircase greeting them upon entering. Wordlessly, they both went up the steps, Ivy trailing a few steps behind, unable to match the military pace.

Hawkeye lived on the second floor in the first room on the right. Upon opening the door, Ivy heard the scratching of something padding across wooden floors and her heart nearly leaped. _Black Hayate!_ She realized belatedly.

She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face as the small pup came running around the corner to greet his master. He stopped just short of the walkway, staring up at Ivy vigilantly.

Hawkeye locked the door behind her and stepped forward, removing her boots before walking forward toward the dog. "Black Hayate, this is Ivy Thompson. Be nice," she ordered.

Ivy almost giggled. Hawkeye had introduced the both of them as if he were a tiny person rather than a pet. Nonetheless, Black Hayate looked up at his master and barked softly, almost in acknowledgement before trotting up to Ivy. Reflexively, she bent down and offered the back of her fist for him to sniff. He did so, committing her scent to memory, before softly licking her knuckles and barking happily at her.

Ivy's heart melted instantly as she squatted down and itched behind his ears. Black Hayate leaned into the touch, enjoying the feeling.

"I'll go fetch you some linens," Hawkeye told her before disappearing around the hall.

Ivy stood after giving a few last scratches to the adorable pup before removing her shoes and walking forward to explore.

The apartment was spartan and the best word she could come up with to describe it was 'functional.' In comparison to the Hughes's place, where dozens of pictures and potted plants filled empty spaces, in Hawkeye's home, it stayed bare. There was a single couch, and a dining table that clearly was the size for someone who lived alone and would maybe entertain one other person. The only thing that served as something familiar—homely, maybe—was a dog bed next to a water and food bowl. On the plush cushion was a bone, but even that seemed to be neatly arranged there.

Ivy smiled to herself. It was exactly as she had imagined Hawkeye to live. Personally, she was a knick-knack hoarder. She loved decorating and putting her own special touch in rooms. Despite the difference in tastes, she found it comforting. Had it been any different, Ivy was sure she'd feel unnerved.

She busied herself with rubbing Black Hayate's tummy until footsteps alerted her of Hawkeye's return. Upon seeing her, Ivy blinked.

"Here are some sheets, a blanket, and a pillow," Hawkeye told her, resting the materials on the couch. "There is also a pair of pajamas. It gets cold here at night, and if you get too cold the linen closet is just down the hall, across the way from the bathroom." When the woman stood and turned to see Ivy's gaping expression, she raised a thin brow in confusion.

"I, um, yes, I understand," Ivy stammered, standing.

She didn't know why, but seeing the lieutenant in something other than her military uniform had been surprising. Her long blonde hair flowed over her shoulders and she was dressed in simple purple flannel pajamas. If Ivy thought she had looked beautiful before, seeing her in something other than the bulky military garb, she was positively stunning now. As Ivy fumbled over to the couch, fanning the sheets over the cushions, she could have sworn she heard the woman sigh slightly and shake her head before turning.

"Wait!" Ivy called. The woman turned to regard her. Ivy instantly dipped her head low, bowing deeply. "Thank you so much for everything, Ms. Hawkeye." When she stood back up straight, she was treated to one of those award-winning smiles.

"Please call me Riza," she said softly.

Ivy couldn't help her own smile that spread across her face. "Of course. Goodnight, Ms. Riza."

"Goodnight, Ivy," she replied, still smiling as she disappeared down the hall and into her room.

Ivy continued making her bed for the night, changing out of her jeans and long sleeve shirt and into the pajamas Hawkeye— _Riza_ — had provided for her. They were a long, considering the woman had quite a few inches on her, but comfortable, and as she settled comfortably on the couch she reached down to pet Black Hayate who took residence on the floor beside her.

 _Step one: get Ed and Al to find Dr. Marcoh._

The warm feeling of success flowed through her chest as she mentally checked it off the list. The pleasant feelings were replaced quickly as the feeling of dread coiled in her stomach at the next step.

 _Step two: get into the First Branch and burn Dr. Marcoh's notes_.

She had no idea how she was going to manage that, but it was better than trying to burn the whole place down. As she considered the next part of her plan, the dread turned into a burning determination.

 _Step three: Keep Maes Hughes alive._

* * *

 _ ***Kuya (koo-yaw): Older brother**_

 _ ***Ate (ah-tay): Older sister**_

 **And so, Ivy makes the decision to alter the timeline. Tell me, would you guys do the same?**

 **Also, for the people who are good at chemistry/willingly take chem classes for their profession, I give you mad props. Cos honestly, reading through my old chem textbook to find stuff for the beginning part of this chapter gave me a headache, and I don't even go into _depth_ about it! **

**If you liked this chapter, like this story, or like teacher!Ed, please review! Thank you so much for reading.**

 **Until Next Chap!**


	17. Oh My God They Were Roommates

**Chapter 16: Oh my God They Were Roommates**

 _ **Ahhhhhhh I'm so sorry this is late, guys! I didn't have internet for a few days! I promise the next update will be ON TIME next Thursday (22. Feb. 2018). Anyhow, here you go!**_

* * *

Coffee _._

The sound of a bubbling carafe and the sweet smell of caffeine filled her nose and she sat up, blinking her eyes slowly, trying to adjust. The room was still dark, the only light leaking from the kitchenette. It was a small apartment and relatively dark, but she could make out the silhouette of the lieutenant and smiled.

Riza was in half uniform, her legs clad in the military pants but wearing the black, short sleeve turtle neck Ivy recognized from the anime. She scooped something from a can into a bowl and placed it on the ground where Black Hayate was eagerly waiting. She crouched before him.

"Sit."

He sat.

"Down."

He laid down.

"Paw." He placed his paw into her waiting hand. "Other paw." He did so. "Wait." She smiled. "Good boy. Eat."

Ivy felt the corner of her mouth twitch into a smile. The scene was almost exactly frame by frame from what she had seen in Brotherhood. As she watched Riza rise and procure a mug for herself, pouring the deep brown liquid into it, Ivy sat up. She must have made some noise because the woman turned around to regard her.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she said, breaking the quiet.

Ivy straightened. "Oh! It's okay."

Silence.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Riza asked.

Ivy felt her mouth water at the suggestion and she found herself nodding. "Yes. Yes please."

Ivy rose, being sure to fold the sheets she had slept in and place them neatly on the arm of the couch. While she did so, she heard Riza fumble in the kitchen, preparing what was 'breakfast.' After making sure that the blankets were folded as neatly as possible—she didn't think Riza appreciated untidiness— she grabbed her clothes and made a beeline for the bathroom. Riza was already dressed; Ivy should be too.

When she arrived in the bathroom, she hurriedly undressed and put on the clothes she had worn yesterday. After pulling up her jeans, she caught sight of her arm still wrapped in bandages. Curiously, she undid the careful wrap. It had been a while since she had checked on it. As she unraveled her mummified arm, she came across the ugly, jagged line that crept from her elbow and up her bicep, stopping above her armpit and just before the part where her shoulder met her torso. The flesh was marred pink and white, a thick stripe serving as a reminder of what happened two weeks ago. When she poked at it, it was still tender, but no longer hurt. The skin had repaired itself, replacing what was lost with ugly scar tissue.

Seeing herself in the mirror, she flexed her arm. She watched as the skin pulled over her bicep muscle, moving with every motion. As she watched herself move, she observed how it looked and when it would be visible. She frowned. She still was unhappy with it. Sure, it wasn't as ugly as it had been when healing, but it was a far cry from tiny.

"Well, what did you expect, Ives? It was going to magically disappear?" She asked her reflection.

Her unamused eyes and pouting lips was her only answer.

She sighed, pulling her long sleeve over her head and smoothed out the wrinkles in it. She tossed the bandages in the garbage before leaving the bathroom, figuring she didn't need them anymore.

When she walked down the hallway and back into the living room area, she saw Riza sat in one of the dining chairs, her military coat pulled over the back of it. Upon seeing breakfast waiting for her, Ivy walked quicker and seated herself across the woman.

"Fuery told me like coffee," she said, gesturing to the other mug in front of her. "I made it the way I like it, but if it's too bitter there's some sugar in the kitchen."

Ivy smiled, strangely touched that Fuery had taken the time to talk about something so mundane about her to his coworkers. She reached forward and eyed the pleasant shade of beige and took a tentative sip. Her smile grew wider. "This is perfect; thank you." She had to resist from humming as she drank the warm drink. For some reason, it delighted her to know she had something in common with the woman, even if it were as simple as taking their coffee the same way.

Riza only nodded. "I'm not much of a breakfast person," she continued, gesturing to the bagel smothered in cream cheese in front of Ivy, "and I haven't gone shopping in a bit, so this is all I have. If you're still hungry, we can stop by somewhere and get something."

She took another sip before answering. "I'm not a breakfast person either," she told her. It was true. During school, she barely had time between getting herself and Naomi ready that she was lucky if she even had a cup of coffee in the morning. And on breaks, she slept in till noon, so eating breakfast at lunchtime seemed unfit.

The two sat in amicable silence as they both drank their coffees and munched on bagels. Ivy watched as Black Hayate ate his own breakfast eagerly and couldn't help but see the clock that hung on the wall. With a shock, she realized it wasn't even 6AM yet. She supposed it was normal, seeing as Riza _was_ part of the military. Getting up at the crack of dawn came with the territory.

Once their mugs were drained and bagels were eaten, they both gave Black Hayate goodbye scratches and headed out. The cool morning air greeted them and Ivy shivered. Though Ivy had walked with the woman from HQ, she remained a few paces behind, from both the inability to match her speed and still being unsure of where she was. They continued in a peaceful quiet, and though usually she would feel awkward being silent for so long, she felt at ease. Riza didn't seem the type for meaningless small talk and even though Ivy didn't know her well, she felt a certain comfort in her presence.

The walk to HQ was about ten minutes—fifteen if it were at Ivy's own pace—and a shudder ran down her spine upon remembering last night's events. _Oh god, will they still be there?_ Her hands begin to shake.

Riza apparently noticed because she then said, "Nothing will happen to you as long as I am here."

Ivy bounced her head up only to see the back of the woman's head. As she digested the words in the sentence, she couldn't help the bright smile that spread across her face and the warmth that flowed through her chest.

Just as promised, when they approached the gates, the two guards posted—different from last night—did not even take notice to her. They saluted Riza upon seeing her and they crossed the threshold without incident. Even as they walked through the halls, not one soldier stopped to question Ivy's presence. At most, they gave the older woman a questioning glance, a mouth open as if to ask a question, but with one even stare from Riza, they closed their mouths and continued on their way.

 _She is my role model,_ Inner Voice said in awe.

Ivy could only agree.

When they reached the double doors and the plaque that read ROY MUSTANG, Ivy knew it was time for their goodbyes. They both stopped and turned toward one another.

"Thank you again, Ms. Riza," Ivy said sincerely.

The older woman only smiled and gave a slight nod before disappearing into the office.

Ivy then made the trek back to the barracks, smiling the entire way there.

* * *

Edward glared up at the white ceiling. He did _not_ have a nice rest. Usually he would promptly fall onto the cot and not a moment later be asleep. Last night, however, he found himself conscious of every creak and every lump the flat bed offered and other than a few short hours, he hadn't gotten a wink. Between the short bouts of sleep, he'd toss and turn in a futile attempt to slip back into unconsciousness.

 _Tim Marcoh._

 _The truth hidden within the truth._

What a load of bull.

Usually he'd brush off calls like that. They were far and few between, but there was the occasional stalker/angry citizen call that would leak through. Always a random weirdo that hacked into the mainframe to speak to famous state alchemists. He knew Mustang got quite a few death threats. And though Edward was new, he was building a name for himself and he'd begun getting them. He had thought it ridiculous how easy it was to get into a military line and he even remembered Fuery saying that it was fairly simple to do if one had enough technological knowledge. No matter how ridiculous, the stalkers were always sloppy and it only took one call to the communications department about what happened to get things solved. In fact, he should have reported it in by now.

 _Tim Marcoh._

 _The truth hidden within the truth._

The words rolled around in his head and it piqued his interest more than he'd like to admit.

When it happened and he relayed the strange call to Alphonse, even he thought it odd.

"This is the first time we've gotten a private line," he had said, "There's no way they could have found it so quickly."

It was true. Up until now, all calls for him were transferred from Mustang's line. The only few who actually knew about it was Ivy, Mustang's crew, and Maes Hughes.

Very strange indeed.

He sighed loudly, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. There was no way he could get in any more hours. It was too much of an effort and he didn't want to exert himself over something so stupid. Alphonse was sat at the desk—his usual place of residence while Ed slept—re-reading a text he and Ed had found some months ago. Upon hearing the loud sigh, he turned to regard him.

"You're up early."

Ed squinted to see the clock at the far wall. It was only a few minutes past 7AM. He frowned. What a grotesque hour. The fact people wake up this early by their own volition was downright wrong.

"I can't sleep," he admitted. He went to push his wayward bangs out from his eyes only for them to flop back into place.

"You should really get your rest, Brother," Al reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, standing. He raised his arms over his head and stretched until he heard a few satisfying pops. He did a few more stretches, loosening the taut muscles. "Wanna spar later today?"

Alphonse looked at him incredulously. "Uh, sure. Why do you want to all of a sudden?"

He shrugged. "It's been a while since I got a proper workout. I've been cooped up in HQ for a while now and you know I get fidgety." As if to prove his point, his foot began moving almost on its own accord, tapping impatiently on the floor.

Al chuckled. "That's your fault. You've denied Mr. Hughes's offer each time."

"I had some stuff to read into."

"Of course you did. And it's not at all about Noah, is it?"

Ed's eyes narrowed as he folded his arms over his chest. "The guy pisses me off." He was remembering the one visit he _had_ gone to, where the other boy teased him mercilessly for Elycia's affectionate title 'Little Big Brother.' It didn't help that he was practically two heads taller than he was. He glanced at the newly tidied room. The boxes were placed against the walls and their collection of alchemical texts were organized in the bookshelf more or less. Not to mention you could now walk the floor. The guy was infuriating, sure, but it was nice of him to clean and Ed appreciated it.

Not that he would ever say.

Al only shook his head, snickering. Ed had half a mind to go over and start their sparring session _now._

Ed did a few more stretches before changing into his usual get up for the day. As he tied his hair back, he sat back down on the bed, leg jiggling restlessly. _The truth hidden within the truth..._

"Are you thinking about that call?"

Al's voice pulled him from his thoughts and he blinked, realizing he must have said those words aloud. He sighed, tying off the end of his braid before resting his hands on his knees. "Yeah. I can't seem to get it out of my head."

"Me either," he agreed. He too rested his hands on his knees, mirroring his brother. There was a pause before he spoke again. "Do you think it's a lead?"

Edward let the idea mill around in his mind before answering. "Maybe," he conceded, reaching back to rub the back of his neck. "I don't want to put hope in it, but..."

"It doesn't hurt to ask," Al finished.

He nodded. "We'll ask Colonel Bastard about this 'Tim Marcoh' guy and if he exists, great. If he doesn't, well..." The call would just be another write off. Nothing the both of them hadn't dealt with before.

After Ed pulled on his shoes, they left their dorm and made the now familiar way to Mustang's office. Upon reaching the double doors, it came as no surprise that the communal office space was relatively empty, save for Fuery and the lieutenant.

"Edward," she said, the slightest intonation in her voice to suggest surprise, "You're usually not around this early."

"Yeah, well." He shrugged.

"Good morning Lieutenant; Sargent," Al greeted, nodding his head at the both of them. Fuery gave a tired, but well intentioned, wave while Hawkeye gave the smallest of smiles in return.

"Is the Colonel here yet or?" He asked in that ever-candid way he did. Edward could feel Al's disapproving gaze on his back but he ignored it. It was way too early and he didn't do pleasantries or small talk. He came for one purpose.

Hawkeye nodded. "Yes. He just came in."

Ed nodded a thanks before marching off toward the private enclosure. Upon nearing the door, he made his usual entrance: barging in without so much as a knock with Alphonse trailing behind him, ready to close the door. He instantly saw the disgruntled Colonel. Ed smirked upon seeing him press a hand to his forehead, mussing the pitch black bangs away.

"Fullmetal," he greeted through his teeth, not once looking up at the two brothers, "to what do I owe this displeasure?"

"Good morning, Colonel," Alphonse greeted. Mustang made a hand gesture in the form of acknowledgement, grunting as he did so. To his credit, he did give a smile, albeit half of one. No one could help not smiling back at his younger brother, no matter how irritated they may be.

Edward happily continued forward, flopping down onto the comfy leather couches and relaxing into it. "What's the matter, bastard? Not a morning person, or do you have a hangover?" In case it were the latter, he heavily placed his feet on the small table in front of him, his leather boots banging on the wooden table loudly. To his amusement, Mustang flinched at the noise.

"I'm afraid the only headache I get is sitting in front of me," he quipped, making Ed narrow his eyes. "So, what is it? I doubt you're here for a personal visit."

Ed debated shooting off more remarks—it was rare to catch a hungover Mustang and annoying him in this state was fun. However, his curiosity won out as he leaned forward, planting his feet back on the gray-speckled carpet again. "What can you tell me about a Dr. Tim Marcoh?"

There was a good chance that Mustang wouldn't have reacted. That he would just glare at him and order him out and tell him to only come back when he _actually_ had something to offer. But none of that happened. Mustang straightened in his seat and gave him a level stare.

"How do you know that name?"

Neither Al or Ed was expecting such a response and gave each other a quick glance to convey one thing: _they found a lead._ They quickly looked back at the Colonel.

"How we know is irrelevant," Ed replied, "what can you tell us about him?"

He sounded all smooth and cool with that remark, but truthfully he was just too embarrassed to admit he had just gotten incredibly lucky.

"Please, Colonel," Al added, "He may be able to help us restore our bodies."

For a few moments, they all stared each other down. Mustang's measured gaze sized both of them up, from Edward, to Alphonse, and then back at Edward. For a few more seconds in a silence where you could hear a pin drop, his shoulders slackened. He released a heavy breath, and in that moment, the brothers knew they had won.

* * *

Dr. Tim Marcoh; The Crystal Alchemist.

Alphonse couldn't believe it. It had been months of leads leading to nowhere and dead ends everywhere they looked. As optimistic as he tried to be, he too had been running out of empty encouragements to give whenever Ed had exploded into a frustrated rage about lost causes. Thankfully, there had been one thing to distract from the depressing ends of their research. Or two, if he was being particular.

As they neared her dorm room, Ed fidgeted restlessly at his side. Upon hearing about the missing doctor's research and his last sightings, he was itching to get back on the road. Al reciprocated the eagerness, but put his foot down upon leaving immediately.

"But _Al_ , we finally have something!"

"And it'll still be there after we tell Ivy what's happening," he said firmly.

Alphonse knocked twice out of common courtesy, but after knowing the girl long enough, he pushed through, unsurprised the door was unlocked again. Noah was definitely right; it was a very unsafe habit to have. After opening the door, he saw the small girl crouched over one of the textbooks, twirling a pen in her fingers she scanned the words. He almost laughed; his brother was rubbing off on her. She was so focused she didn't even notice they were there.

"Hey! Kid!" Ed called.

Upon the first greeting, however, she looked up. Her warm brown eyes widened upon seeing them and she hurriedly put her pen down, her face easing into an easy smile. "Ed, Al, hey." She crossed her arms over her chest quizzically, looking at Ed with a raised brow. "When have you ever been up this early?"

"Shuddup."

Ivy only met the scowl with a cheeky smile.

"Ivy, we found a lead," Al told her, unable to keep it a surprise for any longer.

Her eyes twinkled in a way that gave Al pause. "Really?"

"Yeah. It was pure luck, but we got one," Ed said.

"That's great!" Her voice was enthusiastic, but there was something missing from her voice.

"We're heading out east to locate this Dr. Marcoh guy," Ed continued, unaware of the minuscule changes in the girl, "We thought we should let you know we'll be gone for a while."

At this, her brows pinched together. "A while?"

"Yeah. We estimated about three days?" Ed glanced at him for confirmation.

"Maybe a week at most," Al said, "if he's more difficult to find than we thought."

She gave a hesitant smile. "When are you leaving?"

"Today!" Ed's grin spread at the prospect of traveling again. "The next train out to Calhorn leaves in an hour. We just wanted to stop by and let you know."

Al watched Ivy's smile droop a little.

"Oh." She fiddled with the hem of her long sleeves, pulling them over her hands until only her fingertips showed. "That's great! Um, well, good luck then. I'll let Noah know."

"Thanks," Al replied.

For a moment, an awkward silence hung over the three teens as they all realized what it meant. They were going to be separated for the first time since meeting, and though they didn't know each other long, it had become second nature to see one another every day. They all looked away, Ed finding an interesting spot on the wall to stare at, Ivy's eyes downcast at her fingertips, and Al glancing around the room. None of them wanted to meet eyes and subsequently admit to the unspoken sentence in the air _._ Alphonse was usually the one to take charge in situations like this, but he found himself at a loss of words.

Ed then loudly cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the other two occupants in the room. When Ivy's eyes landed on him, he shoved one hand in his pocket and pointed at her. "Don't you dare think this is a break!" Ivy blinked. "When we get back, I expect you to know the ins and outs of chemistry!"

For a second, she only stared. Then, slowly, a reinvigorated smile spread across her face, making two dimples pop out on her cheeks. She nodded enthusiastically. "Right!"

Al had to suppress a sigh. He couldn't have just said 'Cheer up; we'll see you later' like a normal person? He shook his head, having to hold back a laugh. While Ivy seemed to be in brighter spirits, he saw his brother nod to himself.

"Wait here," he announced, turning and leaving the tiny dorm without so much as an explanation. He didn't close the door as he left, signifying he would be back soon.

They both stood in a comfortable silence until she broke it. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

Alphonse regarded the girl who had now leaned against the countertop, arms still crossed, and looking at him in a way that seemed much too knowing for just a simple wish of luck. He shook his head, chuckling. "You knew this would happen, huh?" He asked.

At that, the smaller girl flinched. She quickly tucked her hair behind her ear, the other side and her bangs falling to partially obscure her face. She looked unmistakably guilty as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "What are you talking about?" She asked in a way that would definitely sound innocent had her eyes not given her away.

"You knew we would get that call," he continued confidently, "That's why the other night you said our story was on track."

She blinked, digesting what he had said for a moment, before a large cheshire grin spread across her face. "Oh! Oh, yeah, definitely!" She laughed loudly. "You caught me!"

Just then, Edward appeared again, a very familiar book resting in his hands. Instantly, he recognized it and Al wished he could smile as he watched Ed march up to Ivy and offer it to her. She reached forward hesitantly, glancing between the two brothers before looking down at the title. Upon scanning over it, she could have very well snapped her neck at how fast she looked up at them.

"This is...!"

"I expect that book to be completed before we come back," Ed told her warningly.

She hugged _Alchemy's Beginnings_ to her chest tightly, her eyes practically sparkling. "Thank you, thank you, _thank_ you!" She exclaimed, placing the book hurriedly on the countertop behind her and enveloping the blonde into one of her tight hugs. He instantly stiffened on contact, but his arms were very much pinned to his sides as she squeezed and swayed. Al outrightly laughed as he saw his brother struggle to escape and fail. He watched for a second longer before deciding to save his brother from his crippling embarrassment.

"Don't I get a hug too?" Al asked, opening his arms. " _I'm_ the one who convinced Brother you were ready, after all."

At seeing Al's open gesture, she untangled herself from Ed's board of a body and skipped over. Careful not to smash her face into the metal as she's done time and time again, she threw her arms around his chest plate, unsuccessfully able to wrap her arms fully around his body. Al then instead of returning the awkward hug due to the height difference, wrapped his arms around her and lifted her a few feet off the ground, making her yell out in surprise and delight. After both dissolving into a fit of giggles, he put her down and she beamed at the both of them.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," she said truthfully. At the candid sentiment, both brothers felt flustered at the amount of emotion went into it.

"Tch, you'll hardly be able to tell we're gone," Ed mumbled, attempting to hide the flushed pink on his cheeks.

"We'll be back before you know it," Al confirmed.

Ivy gave them another smile before pulling both of them into one more quick group hug that was as awkward as you'd expect it to be. She rattled off good wishes mad-lib style (good luck! Safe travels! Be careful! Don't get into too much trouble! And other things) before shooing them out of her dorm.

"Don't be late for that train!" She admonished. "And when you get back, you better _know_ I'll be doing transmutations left and right!"

Ed snorted. " _Sure_ you will, kid."

"Bye, Ivy!"

She waved at them one final time before watching them disappear down the hall.

Once their friend was no longer within sight, both brothers drew into themselves as their thoughts aligned:

 _Tim Marcoh._

 _The truth hidden within the truth._

* * *

Ivy twirled the pen in her fingertips, going over the last chemical equation she had made up for herself for practice with a sigh. With the extra week buffer of tutoring, she definitely had a grasp on the material, but none of it really _stuck._ She was in a constant flurry of papers with haphazardly scribbled notes almost constantly and while she knew it was better than nothing, she still felt every bit of a failure.

It had been a huge ego-booster to know that Alphonse thought her ready to begin tackling alchemy, but even as she eyed the worn _Alchemy's Beginnings_ she could only feel apprehension. It felt entirely too soon. She wanted structure, a curriculum; a full semester worth of work and practice like she was accustomed to before heading off the next section of the subject.

She sighed loudly. "Why can't I just be grateful?" She muttered, pressing her fingers to her eyes. It was a miracle she had been picking things up as quickly as she had. It was even more exciting because it meant she was a step closer to getting back home! So why is she not celebrating?

Because it felt _wrong._

There was no possible way she could have been learning as quickly as she was. She was good—if her 4.0 had anything to say about it— but she wasn't _this_ good. And even if Ed and Al were great teachers, it didn't make sense. She was reading faster than she ever could and even if she struggled a bit at the beginning, she was blowing through material as if—

As if she had seen it before.

"The Gate," she realized aloud.

She was given the knowledge of this world and the next and it was all hidden beneath the surface, rising only when she stirred it enough. It didn't _stick_ because it was already there. She both understood and didn't, because while _she_ was just learning, the Gate already forced it into her mind.

"Wait, wait," she said to herself, "Does that mean I can do alchemy without a transmutation circle like Ed?"

With a sense of fangirling she hadn't felt since first meeting the Mustang crew, she cleared the countertop of her notes and stared at the empty spot with giddiness. She clapped her hands together, stalling in the praying gesture with her eyes squeezed tight. She envisioned the countertop turning into a small cat figurine and slammed her palms into the wood.

Nothing happened.

She let her hands slip from the tabletop with a sigh. "Okay, that was maybe a stretch." She almost deflated her excitement until she eyed _Alchemy's Beginnings_ that lay waiting innocently. With a grin, she snatched it up, flipping to a page that held the diagram of a transmutation circle. She quickly found the most basics of circles and went to sketch it out on the corner of a sheet of paper. The triangles were definitely lopsided and the circle resembled a squashed tomato more than anything, and she wondered in bewilderment how in the hell Ed and Al drew such perfect circles every single time.

Disregarding how awful it looked, she took a deep breath, and clapped her hands again, touching her fingertips to the sides of the circle.

And nothing happened.

"Well, it was worth a shot," she lamented, balling the paper in her hands and tossing it aside. She laughed then. She could remember her twelve year old self doing exactly this in the privacy of her bedroom, doodling terrible circles and clapping away, hoping it would work and whisk her away to the fantasy land of Amestris, where she could live out her fangirl dreams.

"If twelve year old Ivy could see me now," she mused, shaking her head. She looked up at the white ceiling and addressed her past self, "The fanfictions lied, Ives! Edward Elric is not madly in love with you, nor will you ever go on a cute shopping date with him."

She began giggling to herself again. To be honest, she already _did_ go on the shopping date, only it was with Alphonse Elric instead. And it wasn't exactly flirty smiles and romantic tension.

She pondered, then, the possibilities. If she allowed herself to fall into wishful thinking, considered her friendship with both Elric brothers, and then some...She smiled somberly. It wouldn't even matter in the end. She and Noah were going home. Period. Long distant relationships were a thing, yes, but across dimensions?

"Besides," she said, "I don't see either of them that way anyway."

And thus came the end to her childhood fantasies.

Allowing herself to indulge in the past had opened the floodgates to more nostalgia. The memories greeted her pleasantly and she basked in the warmth of her sister's smiles, her friends' laughter, and the taste of her father's cooking. She remained there for a while, recalling the stories her father shared over dinner and her incessantly trying to convince Ashley to watch FMA—or any anime, really—so they could obsess over it together. It was short lived, however, as she re-focused her eyes and came face to face with the cover of _Alchemy's Beginnings_ once more.

All of the pleasant feelings morphed into the now familiar empty ache in her chest. Before it could grow and depress her further, she opened the book and began reading. If she was going to return to her friends and family, she would have get through this book and many more.

Ivy had lost track of time between the Elric brothers' departure and reading that it actually startled her when a familiar head burst through her dorm door, shouting at the top of his lungs, "AFTERNOON, IVY!"

She yelped, almost flinging the book in her hands across the room but at the last moment righted it and clutched it to her chest. Her heart hammered against her ribcage and the book cover as she stared at the grinning—and _ever_ energetic— Hughes. "You scared me!" She exclaimed by way of greeting.

He gave a hearty laugh. "I can see that!" She only shook her head, giving a weak smile as she placed the book down on the counter before her. "I went to Ed and Al's first, but they weren't there," he continued, scratching his beard absently.

"Oh, they left a bit ago," Ivy replied.

"Left?" He questioned. She nodded. "Do you know where?"

Ivy opened her mouth to respond, but quickly closed it, and gave a shrug instead. The less he knew about Tim Marcoh and the philosopher stone, the safer he'd be. Thankfully, he accepted the noncommittal answer and gave a hefty sigh.

"Well this won't do!"

"Huh?"

"Look at this place! It's a mess!"

It really wasn't. Noah had made the place spotless. Nonetheless, Hughes went around scrutinizing every inch, gesturing exasperatedly at the corner of the bed Ivy hadn't made yet from this morning, as if for proof.

"I've let this go on because you had the boys across the hall from you, but now they're gone, I can't stay quiet anymore." He pointed at her. "GET PACKING!"

"Wait, what?" She jumped into action when Hughes began opening drawers and rummaging through the closet, searching for something. "Mr. Maes, what—oof!" He turned and thrust her leather suitcase into her arms.

"I'll be back in ten minutes! I expect you to be all packed and ready to go by then!" He began walking away.

"What are you—" He stopped suddenly, making Ivy ram into his back. She staggered back, holding her nose. Since when has he been so damn _solid?_ It was like she just ran into a wall.

"But what will we do? Noah already has the guest bedroom..." He scratched his beard, thinking. "A young lady like yourself can't sleep on the couch forever. That's even more criminal than making you stay here by your lonesome."

Ivy blanched, realizing what the man was going on about. She was supposed to be _separating_ herself from Hughes, so he would be safe, and far away from the Lab 5 incident, not moving in! "Oh no, Mr. Maes, don't worry about it! I've already gotten used to it, and I don't want to trouble you and Mrs. Gracia—"

He brightened and snapped his fingers together. "I'll have Noah help me bring out the extra cot from our garage!" He proclaimed, ignoring all of what she said.

She began getting desperate. "Mr. Maes—" She reached for him but he already made it into the doorway.

"Ten minutes! Wait, fifteen! I have to go let Roy know!"

And the door slammed shut, leaving a bewildered Ivy still holding her suitcase in defeat.

* * *

"Pivot!"

A second went by.

"PIVOT!"

Another second.

"PI—"

"I'm pivoting, I'm pivoting!" Noah snapped, smashing his shoulder into the wall in order to maneuver the mattress up. He grunted as he stepped up, turning as he went. "This damn staircase is way too tiny for this!"

He could see the glint off of Hughes's glasses from the corner of the bed. "It'll fit! Just takes some," he grunted as he took another step up, "elbow grease!"

With some cursing from Noah's end and well-intentioned yells from Hughes, they managed to get the mattress up the second flight of stairs. When Hughes burst into Noah's room and promptly began rearranging everything, he had been hopelessly confused. An hour later and seeing a glum Ivy carry in a suitcase hadn't done anything to quell his confusion either and whenever he'd try to ask what was going on, Hughes would change the subject. After a while, he had just accepted it and intended to ask Ivy later.

Noah took another step forward, relief on the horizon. He could see they were almost at the last step. The stupidly narrow staircase had been annoying as hell—he kept scraping his knuckles across the walls and bumping his elbows into the railing trying to keep the bed up. He moved to take the last step when suddenly the grip slackened on the opposite end and he nearly stumbled and fell. It was only due to his reflexes that he managed to right himself at the last moment.

"Hey!" He set the bed on one step, keeping his arms up so it wouldn't go sliding down and peeked around The mattress pad to see Hughes leisurely standing on the top of the floor. "Hughes!"

"Son, can you promise me something?"

Noah huffed as he tried to keep it from sliding down the staircase. "Can we wait until we're on flat ground before this conversation?" Hughes only answered by leaning back and resting his weight on the mattress, making it slip dangerously down. Noah hurried to steady it with a grunt, lest the thing took him down the stairs with it.

"Noah, we live in a very tense time," he continued, oblivious to the struggle taking place below him. "And it's only going to get more dangerous. Things have always been tense, but after Ishval, something just...broke."

The sudden serious tone made Noah pause. "Oh- _kay?"_

"People hide behind the guise nationalism in order to be bigoted and cruel against anyone who doesn't look like them," he said. His brows furrowed. "It's an irrational fear that gives way to hatred. Hatred, I'm afraid, that doesn't exclude little girls from its cruelty."

Noah lifted his head to meet Hughes's hard eyes.

"You need to protect Ivy from this hatred. Can you promise me that?"

Noah's mouth suddenly felt very dry as he stared into Hughes's intense gaze. He could only nod. When Hughes didn't budge, he forced himself to choke out, "Y-yeah, sure."

At that, the Hughes he was used to returned. He erupted into a wide grin. "That's my boy!" He exclaimed, dipping back and heaving the bed up quickly. "C'mon, son, we're almost there!"

"Uh, right!"

As Noah helped heave the mattress back into the apartment, he didn't have enough time to contemplate the strange conversation before he realized the extra bed was going in _his_ room, meaning he and Ivy were going to share.

Just great.

* * *

 **Once again, I'm so sorry for the delay!**

 **It felt weird to have Noah's POV for such a short amount of time, but I always have fun writing in Ed and Al's POV. Hopefully I do them justice. Anyway,**

 **Until Next Chap!**


	18. I Know What I'm Doing, I Swear

**Chapter 17: I Know What I'm Doing, I Swear**

 _ **RIP my schedule. Read the author note at the end, it's IMPORTANT.**_

* * *

Noah watched as Ivy folded her clothes into the top two drawers of their now shared bedroom. It had been a few hours after they situated everything. Hughes had been called back to the station and Elycia had been overly excited about having her Ate Ivy over indefinitely. The young girl had to be practically extricated from Ivy's side to allow her to start unpacking. Gracia was merciful and took her out to the park for the day to let Ivy settle in.

The apartment was uncharacteristically quiet. Noah lounged on his bed trying to nap while Ivy busied herself with her suitcase. Noah watched as she took each article out and folded it carefully—almost too carefully—and put them into the drawers slowly. She moved sluggishly, her eyes focused on something in the distance. She was also quiet, sighing or frowning every now and then. He sighed himself.

"Ives, what's wrong?" He asked, breaking the quiet.

At the sound of his voice, she seemed to snap out of whatever daze she was in. She blinked, looking over at him, as if realizing he was there for the first time. "Huh?"

"What's with the face?" He asked again.

"What face? I'm not making a face," she insisted. She focused back on her task at hand, making the very same pouting face she had been since she arrived.

He groaned, rolling up into a sitting position. "You're a horrible liar," he stated bluntly, making her flinch. "So tell me. What's wrong?"

She was silent for a moment, folding a shirt and smoothing the wrinkles out, whilst refusing to look up at him. She stared down at the neatly folded article of clothing before slumping her shoulders. "It's stupid," she mumbled.

When she didn't elaborate he resisted sighing. Why girls insisted on being vague about how they feel, he didn't know. "What's stupid?" He prodded.

She tucked her hair behind her ear, running her fingers through the length of it. She sat down on her bed and turned toward Noah, speaking in a very fast, loud babble in a single breath, "It's not that I don't appreciate Mr. Maes's kindness or that I mind sharing a room—I don't want you to think it's because of _you_ or anything or Elycia or Mrs. Gracia and it's not like I _don't_ like the idea of hanging with you and Elycia every day—because I do!— I'm sure it's gonna be super fun and easier with rides and everything and—"

"Ives, slow down!" he exclaimed, cutting her off. She looked at him with wide, uncertain almond eyes. "Breathe," he urged, exasperated. She nodded, taking in a deep breath and letting it out. "Alright. Just get to the point. What's wrong?"

She smoothed the same lock of hair between her fingers, staring at an interesting spot in the carpet. "I guess I'm a bit bummed I won't have my own place anymore," she mumbled. "The dorm was like a tiny apartment all to myself, and—I don't know..."

Despite how serious she sounded, Noah burst into laughter.

Immediately Ivy's cheeks erupted into a blush. "I said it was stupid!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. As Noah continued to laugh, she looked everywhere but him.

"Sorry," Noah chuckled, holding his stomach. At seeing Ivy puff her cheeks out in indignation, he struggled to stifle another laugh from rising. "I just thought it was going to be something more serious, I guess."

"C'mon, you can't tell me you haven't dreamed of the day you'd get your first apartment!" She exclaimed. "Graduating, leaving for college?" Her eyes sparkled dreamily, her gaze unfocused as she undoubtedly envisioned her words. "No curfew—you can leave when you want, come back when you want—no responsibility," she said with a sigh. Her voice was quiet when she continued, "No responsibility for anyone except yourself."

Noah averted his gaze, staring at an interesting spot on the carpet. "College, huh?"

At the sound of Noah's voice, she seemed to snap out of whatever daydream she was in. Ivy laughed awkwardly. "Yeah. I know I have a few years till then, but..." She shook her head. "It was just a dumb thing. I'll get over it soon."

They settled into a silence, the contemplative air shifting from one teen to the other. Ivy seemed to be in brighter spirits, moving with purpose rather than sluggishly like before, while Noah sunk into his mattress, staring up into the ceiling glumly.

College was something he simply never thought about. He struggled so much with school work, he had accepted that college wasn't a thing that was within his capabilities. Whenever a document asked what he wanted to major in, he always chose 'undecided' because he just never thought he'd get that far. Graduation in and of itself seemed like a hurdle he'd struggle to get over, and after that, what then?

Grams would always coo over the information letters he'd get from local colleges and begin rambling about a future she wanted him to pursue. It would change with her mood—when her bones would ache, she'd want him to be a doctor, when she'd read about politics, she'd want him to be a politician and so on and so forth. But there was always one thing she'd always mention.

" _You could go to the military like your father and your Uncle Ben,"_ she'd say. " _If you don't know, the army's always a respectable option_."

He scowled at the memory. Like hell he'd follow in his bastard of a father's footsteps. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He closed his eyes, a memory tickling the back of his mind.

" _As a mom, it's my job to make sure you do better than me," Gwen Shasta said, "And that means doing good in school to get into a good college."_

" _But it's too hard," young Noah complained. "I'm too stupid for school anyway. Why should I do the work just to fail."_

 _Gwen frowned. "Who said you were stupid?" She placed a hand on her hip. "Was it that Jason kid?" She scowled. "I oughta go over there and tell his mother about his behavior," she snapped, "Though it probably won't do much—he probably got his nasty attitude from that snooty witch anyway! Looking down on me because I'm a single mother—" she raised her voice in a mocking octave, " 'maybe Noah's struggling because of instability at home'—" She crossed her arms over her chest. "UGH! The_ nerve _of her entitled son to call YOU stupid when he has to bribe his way to stay in school—"_

 _Noah groaned, burying his face in his hands to hide his embarrassed flush. "_ Mom _, no one said anything to me!" She paused her rant, blinking at him. "It's just fact. I'm too dumb. It takes me hours to finish something that takes other guys minutes to do."_

 _Her expression softened. "Noah..." She rested a hand on his head, smoothing the wayward waves away from his face. "You are_ not _stupid, do you hear me?" She sat next to him and pulled him to her side. "Just because it takes you longer to understand something does not mean you are stupid."_

" _It feels like it..." he mumbled._

 _She squeezed his shoulder. "Hey, Noah-honey, wanna know something?" When he didn't respond, she continued, "I wasn't that good at school either," she said softly._

" _Pfft. You don't have to lie to make me feel better," he mumbled._

 _Gwen laughed. "I'm serious! I struggled just like you," she said. She rested her chin on the top of his head. "I'm sorry about all this. I passed this down to you, I'm sure. It certainly didn't come from your father; he was valedictorian of his class." She sighed dreamily and extricated herself from their embrace. She held Noah at arm's length, bending her head to look him in the eye. "Tell you what. I'll sit down and do your homework with you every night. We'll have hot cocoa, put on some music, and I'll give you tips on how to manage it." When he didn't budge, she shook his shoulders to make him look at her. "Oh-_ kay _?"_

 _Noah smiled. "Oh-kay."_

 _She smiled back. "Good."_

When Noah refocused his eyes he was met not with the smiling face of his mother, but the white ceiling.

* * *

Ivy had long since left their room when Noah began snoring softly. She finished unpacking her small amount of things, anyway. She had been tempted to join him in his tiny nap, but she wasn't tired enough yet. Elycia was also a very persuasive piece when she had crept into their room, big green eyes shining over at her and holding a thick fairytale book in her hands.

For a little while, Ivy read to her, acting out every part in her one-woman show as Elycia listened dutifully. After a while, however, the little girl decided she had enough and went into her own little world, determined to hone her drawing skills. The older girl was grateful because her throat began to hurt from speaking for so long. So while she was glad she was no longer straining her voice, she grew restless. What was there to do? Noah was asleep and Elycia was hyper-focused on the doodles before her.

It was 4PM. She tried to remember what she would usually be doing, but it didn't take long to recall. After all, she existed like clockwork.

5AM: wake up. Get dressed, breakfast, etc.  
6AM: wake Naomi up, get her ready. Breakfast.  
6:30-7AM: get Mother up to bring Naomi to school; leave for school.  
7:15/30/45AM: send texts to Mother to make sure she is _awake_ and getting Naomi to school _on time.  
_ 8AM-3PM: school  
3:15PM: call Mother and make sure she is picking Naomi up  
3:30PM-5:30PM: play rehearsal/club activities  
6:30PM: get home  
6:45PM-9PM: make dinner, play with/help with Naomi, get her to bed.  
9PM-?AM: homework

Sleep, and then repeat.

She was almost _always_ busy. Her extracurriculars also monopolized time on her weekends, too, which was her only time of breathing. She used to feel so old. Whereas other classmates of hers would jump at the opportunity to do things on weekends, she was more excited at the prospect of staying home and doing nothing. Maybe read, maybe write. If she felt up to it, go out with friends.

This was why summer vacation—or any vacation, really—was so exciting to her. It gave her a chance to _breathe._ Do things _she_ wanted to do, after making sure Naomi was okay. And now what was she doing on her summer vacation?

She eyed the abandoned _Alchemy Beginnings_ that lay on the coffee-table innocently.

If she were being honest with herself, had she been given the chance to go on an adventure and learn alchemy— _the_ superpower she's wanted since she was twelve— she was almost positive she'd jump at the opportunity. However...

She reflexively grabbed at her right arm, feeling the tough but still delicate scar tissue under her fingertips.

Now that she was in this so-called 'adventure,' she wished for nothing more but her boring routine.

With a sigh of resignation, she reached over and plucked the book from the tabletop, opening up to the last page she was on, and began to read. It was one way to pass the time, anyhow.

* * *

" _She's just sleeping, right?"_

 _The room was so cold._

" _Oh, Noah..." He felt his grandmother's shaky hands pull him into her, smashing his face into her shoulder. Her usual scent of cinnamon and butterscotch that used to fill him with comfort now seemed inappropriate._

" _It's a mistake," he said. When his grandmother did not move, he felt the panic rise in his chest. "Right?" He asked again._

" _They told her not to move, Noah," came Grams's soft voice._

 _He shook his head, trying to push himself away. Grams only held him tighter._

" _It was an accident."_

" _No!" He managed to push away, and pressed himself to the glass._

 _The tiny cold room that lay beyond the thick glass window began to fade, the room spinning all around him. He could only see gray tiles moving in a blur, the silhouette of his grandmother twisting away from him. The last thing that remained visible through the fog was his grandmother's eyes filled with tears._

Someone was shaking his shoulder.

"Noah," a voice cooed.

He drowsily opened his eyes, the world fuzzy and unreal. He didn't remember when he had fallen asleep. A painstakingly familiar smile was above him.

"Time to wake up," the gentle voice said.

Through the haziness, he registered her green eyes. "Mom?"

The hand on his shoulder went still and at that moment, reality crashed down on him. He forced his eyes open to see the all-too familiar face staring at him blankly and the warm flush of her cheeks contrasted darkly with the paleness of the woman who lay on the metal table from his dreams. He bolted up, jerking away from Gracia's touch. Because it _was_ Gracia. "Ah, sorry, I, uh..."

"I just wanted to let you know that dinner would be done soon," Gracia told him, her voice even.

He refused to look at her. Because looking at Gracia meant seeing _her._ "Right. Thanks."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her send the identical smile back at him before closing the door behind her.

He glanced at the open window to see that night had fallen, the room shrouded in darkness. A quick scan of the room let him know that Ivy wasn't there, and relief spread through his chest as he slouched forward and buried his face in his hands. His t-shirt clung to his skin uncomfortably and he wiped the sweat from his brow, mussing the back waves away from sticking to his face.

It had been a while since he dreamt about it. Most days, he could even forget about it all together. It had been four years, but the sight of Gwen Shasta's limp body was still etched onto the back of his eyelids, haunting him all this time. And now, when he'd normally get dressed and walk out to mingle amongst hundreds of unidentifiable faces in the busy San Francisco streets, he was forced to remember. Not just by Grams' words, but by the exact visage of the very woman whom he'd guiltily try to forget through any means necessary. Most—if not all—of which he wasn't proud of.

Noah let out a shaky laugh.

If there were any god out there, this must be Him dishing out punishment for his sins.

He took in a trembling breath and let out a garbled cough. If someone had been there, they may have said it was a sob. If someone had been there, they may have said there were tears gathered in his eyes.

But no one was there. So no one could prove it.

He swallowed, wiping at his face, before opening the door and joining the rest of them.

* * *

To commemorate Ivy's moving in, Gracia had gone to the store and bought all Xingese and eastern country foods to make dinner with. It was delicious because Gracia cooked it, of course, but every time the woman would ask tips on how to prepare a certain dish for next time or if Ivy recognized any of it, she'd laugh it off and pretend it was familiar. It was sweet of her to try and make her feel more welcome, but all it did was make Ivy more aware of the differences between the sides of the Gate. It also made her crave some nilaga* and adobo* something fierce. Thankfully, food was food, and it served as a delicious dinner.

Hughes was still at the station, working late; Gracia told her that sometimes he even slept at the barracks. She supposed that he was up to his neck in work because of Scar. If she remembered right, he was the one in charge of leading the investigation on him.

She glanced down at the hastily written number Alphonse left her and punched it in on the old dialup phone, waiting for it to connect.

" _Hello_?"

Ivy was surprised at who picked up, but nonetheless broke out into a smile. "Ed! Hey."

" _Why are you calling? Is something wrong?"_

She puffed out her cheek. Now she can remember why she wanted the other brother to answer. "I can't just check in to see how you're doing?"

There was a pause. " _I mean, I guess?_ " He sighed. " _Just—whatever. Why are you calling?"_

"I wanna let you know I'm staying at Mr. Maes's apartment now," she said.

" _Oh. Why?_ "

Ivy paused. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I mean, it's Mr. Maes, yknow? Can't say no to him."

He laughed. " _Yeah, I know what you mean_."

There was an awkward pause.

" _If that's all you wanted to say—"_

"No, there's more!" Ivy exclaimed before he could hang up. She quieted her voice when she realized she practically yelled. "Um, I wanted to know how the search is going."

His voice morphed instantly from his usual vague irritation to elation. " _We found him,"_ he told her.

Ivy's stomach dropped. "Already?"

" _Yeah. We're going to stop by his place tomorrow so we should be on the way back in the next two days."_

"Oh!" She tried to sound enthusiastic. "That's great!"

" _Yeah. How are you faring with the new material?"_

Ivy glanced guiltily at the abandoned _Alchemy Beginnings_ that lay on the coffee table in the living room. "I'm almost done," she lied through her teeth, making a mental note to start cramming as soon as possible.

" _Good_." There was commotion on the other end and she could hear Ed say something to someone. There was the fumbling again and Ed's voice returned, rushed. " _Okay, gotta go. Al said the dining service is closing soon_."

"Oh! Okay, see you—"

 _Click_.

"Soon," she finished. She glared at the phone. "The jerk can't say goodbye before hanging up?"

Sighing, she put the phone back, the dread piling in her stomach again. If Ed and Al already found Tim Marcoh, then that meant she had to start moving. _Now._ She cursed under her breath as she eyed Elycia doodling with Noah in the living room. How on earth was she going to leave without them noticing? _Goddammit Mr. Maes,_ she thought anxiously. Her gaze slowly found its way to the boy with messy hair and shared experiences.

 _You can't!_ Came Inner Voice's cry. _This is way too dangerous. What if you got caught? What if something were to happen? You can't take him down with you._

She had considered it, briefly. To ask him for assistance or to just tell him what was happening. But she knew—and Inner Voice knew—that if she said anything, he'd stubbornly force himself into the situation. She wouldn't be able to convince him to stand by if he knew what the stakes were.

 _Besides,_ Inner Voice interjected, _He has no idea what's going on, anyway._

She sighed. All of this was going to be near impossible now that she was sharing a room with the person she was desperately trying to keep this a secret from. At least when she was at HQ, she didn't have to worry about that.

"This is the worst," she mumbled to herself. She flicked her eyes to the clock. 7:21PM. If she were going to break the law, it'd be best after everyone was asleep.

She eyed the neglected _Alchemy Beginnings_ that stared at her longingly from the coffee table. Well, she had to pass the time somehow.

* * *

"Alright, your turn."

Noah held the towel around his hips as he walked toward their shared dresser, waiting for Ivy to get her things for her shower. His shoulders were still wet and he could feel droplets of water traveling down his back.

He raised a brow upon seeing her twist herself round to face the wall. "What?" He opened a drawer and rummaged around for some pajamas.

"Jeez, can you _warn_ me next time?!"

He turned to see her hiding behind a book, turned away, no doubt to 'give him privacy.' He chuckled. "Are you embarrassed right now?"

She shoved her face further into the book. "Y-you're naked! Can you blame me?"

"I've got a towel on."

"Still!"

He had to bite back a laugh, turning again to the dresser. Usually he slept in boxers, but guessing by Ivy's reaction to him now, he'd have to wear more layers. "Have you never seen a guy with a towel on before?"

"Of course I have," he heard her say. He didn't turn around to look at her. "I grew up with guys."

"Then why is this any different?" He ventured. He closed the drawer with his hip. A t-shirt and some shorts. That should be modest enough for her. He wasn't going to go Amish every night just because she can't handle some skin.

There was a moment's pause. He smirked.

"Is it because you like what you see?" he teased, turning around to fling his clothes on his bed. To his amusement, he saw Ivy staring right at him. Her face exploded into a bright, guilty red.

He outrightly laughed as she threw a pillow at him and he quickly caught it.

"Don't be ridiculous!" She hissed, gathering her towel and things.

He leaned against the dresser, his flirty smirk coming naturally to his face. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Ives," he said, "I mean, who can blame you?" He intentionally ran a hand through his still-wet hair, slicking it back to resemble more of what he usually styled it to...And maybe flexed a bit while doing so.

He worked hard to get the muscle definition he had now! Was he not allowed to show it off?

"Oh my _god!"_ She groaned, standing and ducking out of the room. "You're the actual worst, Noah!"

She slammed the door behind herself, the sound of Noah's laughter filling the space she left.

After getting dressed, he rubbed the towel against his head to dry the stubborn waves when he saw it. Curiously, he jumped over to Ivy's bed (which only took one step—the room wasn't that big) and picked it up. He flipped through _Alchemy Beginnings,_ tracing his finger over the designs in those—what was the word? _Transmutation_ circles, right.

As he eyed one meant for speeding up/slowing down water molecules, he couldn't help but think of it in awe. People could just change the earth—or anything—through science! He knows Ivy said alchemy was this world's version of magic, but he's listened in while Ed and Al were explaining things. It was a science right down to the last particle. And how utterly _cool_ was that?

 _Alchemy is the science of understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. That said, it is not an all-powerful art. One cannot create something out of nothing. This is the law of Equivalent Exchange._

For the first time in a long time, Noah found himself immersed in a book.

"I'm halfway through," a voice said.

Before he knew it, Ivy had walked in. How much time had passed? Her hair was up in those towel-turbans all girls seemed to do. He still didn't understood how those worked. "Huh?"

She gestured to the book in his hands by jutting her chin toward it. "The book," she said, "I'm halfway done. I'll be sure to write the cliffnotes for ya soon."

"Oh." After a few days of attempting (and failing) to keep up with the stupidly fast pace of Elric 101, Ivy had opted to just give him the notes to the textbooks instead of the texts themselves. Her notes were always extremely detailed and long themselves, but it was easier to mull through rather than the 500 pages Ed expected to be done in a day. It was helpful, and he had to admit, Ivy's study guides made everything so much easier to understand. He wished he had an Ivy back home whenever a test came up.

He closed the book, staring at the title with an interest he hoped didn't show. He scratched at his neck. "Yknow what? I think I'll just take it off you when you're done with it."

She blinked and he had to resist being offended at the surprised expression on her face. To her credit, she didn't comment on the unusual request, and only said, "Okay. Sure."

That was when he saw she was wearing a tank-top. He tried not to stare, but he couldn't help but observe the lightning stripe that wrapped around her right bicep and carried into her shoulder.

As he expected, she hurriedly grabbed her jacket. He felt a pang of guilt after seeing her embarrassed flush as she hurried to hide the scar from view. He didn't mean to make her feel bad; he was only curious. He debated apologizing, but figured it was best to ignore it. It didn't look like Ivy wanted to acknowledge the scar's existence, anyway.

He went over and flopped onto his bed, stretching out comfortably while Ivy went to sit on hers. Before closing his eyes, he glanced at her clothes and realized she wore black trousers, and after she put her jacket on, it looked like she was ready to head out. She even took her hair out of the towel-turban, the long brown locks falling down her back.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asked, eyeing at how stiffly she sat on her mattress. At the question, she stiffened further.

"Wha—" she shook her head. "What makes you say that?"

He nodded his head at her attire.

"Oh! Oh, um," she grabbed the book at her side, lifting it up for him to see. "I want to finish this by tonight and I, uh, can't focus when I'm in pajamas."

"Oh."

"Yeah, it's weird, I know," she said, laughing awkwardly, "But when I'm in pj's I just want to go to bed and I can't sleep if I wanna get this done." She then flipped it open, taking her bookmark out as she scanned a few words. Whether she did so to prove her point, or to end the conversation, he didn't know.

"Gotcha." He relaxed back into the bed.

There was a pause.

"Do you sleep?"

Noah only turned back to her, staring at her with an incredulous expression from her loud outburst. Her cheeks burned as she backtracked.

"That came out wrong," she said, her voice slipping into her fast-babble. "I meant—I didn't phrase it right—I—the lights—"

When Noah only continued to stare at the fumbling girl with a slow, amused smile spreading across his face, she eventually sighed.

"I meant, like, do you _want_ to sleep and if so, I can turn the lights off," She offered, flustered it took her so long to gather her words.

He wanted to say it didn't matter to him—because, really, it didn't—when a yawn crept out of his mouth.

Ivy smiled and looked...relieved?

"Yeah, okay, I'll let you sleep then." She stood and went to the door, flicking the lights off as she went. "I'll be in the living room," she told him.

"Yeah, alright."

"Goodnight!"

"'Night."

* * *

Once the door closed, she let out a sigh of relief.

 _It's almost time,_ Inner Voice announced.

'Right,' Ivy confirmed.

Now to wait.

* * *

He was blanketed in darkness.

Noah couldn't sleep. His eyes began adjusting where the room would materialize in different shades of gray and black. The shapes of the furniture blurred so he couldn't make out the wrinkles in the blankets, but he saw the edges of the dresser and the place where his bed ended and the spot where Ivy's bed started.

He tried falling asleep, truly. Normally he'd be out in seconds, but his eyes remained wide open and unfocused on the blank, black space around him. Here he was, lazing around and doing nothing while Ivy was out there, studying her ass off to get them back home.

"Goddammit," he muttered, pressing his hands to his eyes. He was useless. Again.

He squinted to see the clock in the darkness. It was after midnight.

He heard shuffling from the living room. She was still going at it?

Sighing, he made up his mind. He threw his feet over the side of the bed and went to leave the room. This was ridiculous; she could finish the book later. If he couldn't help her out academically, the least he could do was make sure she was taking care of her health.

As he walked down the hall, he heard movement. He paused just before the living room, listening. It sounded like she was shuffling. Weird. He's seen her studying; she would be posted in one spot unmoving until she was finished.

He hid around the bend just before the living room. He scanned the room to find Ivy nowhere in sight. Raising a brow, he turned to see her in front of the front door, lacing up her shoes.

"Going somewhere?" He asked, announcing his presence.

With a tiny 'eep' she stood and whirled around to face him, her face ashen. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest as he appraised her. Jacket on, shoes laced, and gloves on her hands.

"Noah!" She greeted, her voice low. Whatever she was holding in her hands she quickly hid behind her back. "I-I thought you were asleep?"

"Got somewhere to be?" He asked again.

"Oh, um," she laughed nervously, "No! What makes you think that?"

He took a few steps toward her. She took a few steps back.

"Whatcha got there?" He drawled, inching closer.

"Uh, well, I, um—"

Without hesitation, he reached behind her and plucked away whatever she was holding in her hands.

"Hey!"

She hastily tried to retrieve it but every time she'd grab for it, he'd hold it out of her reach. It wasn't difficult to do since he had quiet a few inches on her.

His brows scrunched together. "A map? What do you need a map for?"

She jumped, finally able to snatch back the paper from his hands. She clutched it to her chest. "I don't!" When he gave her a pointed look, her cheeks flushed. "I-I mean, none of your business!"

"Ives..."

"I'm just going for a walk," she said then, quietly, minding her volume.

"After midnight?"

"I won't go far," she offered, but he saw the trepidation on her face.

"Ives."

"Seriously, Noah, don't worry about it. I'll be—"

"Ives, cut the bullshit," he said firmly, frowning. "What's going on?"

"I..."

He watched as a million expressions crossed her face in one moment. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and her brows scrunched together. "I know, I know," she muttered to herself, "I can't keep hiding it..."

Noah didn't feel like she was talking to him.

She sighed, pushing a hand through her bangs to lift them out of her face. They flopped back down to her forehead.

"Okay, it's a bit complicated and kind of weird," She started, "but basically I have to break into a government facility and burn military property to keep this universe on track."

There was a pause.

"You have to _what?"_

* * *

 _This is a bad idea..._ Inner Voice murmured.

Noah listened dutifully while Ivy explained in halting detail what must be done and why. They moved to the couch, where she could explain long-winded style. "Break in, destroy the book, and leave before getting arrested," she concluded. It sounded easy enough. But she knew saying and _doing_ was very different.

"And you _have_ to do that?"

She nodded. "If I don't, then Ed and Al are gonna come back and find it, and then they won't meet Sheska, and the library will still be standing, and then the timeline will be off, but not _as_ off if they _do_ find Marcoh's notes and—"

"Wouldn't it be easier just to burn down the entire thing?" He asked with a 'duh' tone.

Ivy gaped at him with wide eyes.

"What?" He asked innocently. "That solves all the problems."

"I'm not gonna commit _arson!"_ She exclaimed, but quietly, lest Gracia or Elycia wakes. "Who the hell do you think I am?!"

He shrugged. "I'm just saying; it's a lot easier than what we're planning to do."

She scoffed. "I'm not some pyromaniac who—" She stopped then, registering what was said to her. "Wait, ' _we're_ planning'...? What—Noah, no, you can't."

She had to resist hitting him from the very condescending look he was giving her. "Ives. I'm going with you."

She stood immediately. "Noah, I didn't tell you this so you could come with me—that defeats the whoooole thing."

He raised a brow. "What thing?"

"The _thing_!" She hissed, crossing her arms over her chest. "The 'if-I-get-arrested' thing! The 'I'm-the-one-who-knows-what-she's-doing-and-why' thing!"

He scoffed, standing as well and Ivy had to take a step back. He towered over her and she cursed him for intimidating her with height. If she had some heels then—"I'm coming with you."

She began getting desperate. "Noah—"

"Ives," he cut her off, "You just tried sneaking out through the _front_ _door._ There is no way in hell you have any idea what you're doing."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "And what's wrong with the front door?" She demanded.

"Neighbors will see you, the security will see you, the front desk will _definitely_ see you," he listed, "And do you really think that Hughes _isn't_ friends with any of the people in this building? You'd get sold out quicker than you get there."

"Well, I, uh," she sputtered.

"And this map?" He raised it for her to see. "Do you even know _how_ to read a map?"

She glared at him. "If that's some 'girls-suck-at-directions' sexist ass remark, I will hit you _so_ hard—"

"No," he cut off before she could rant further, "It's a ' _you-_ suck-at-directions' remark. You barely know your way around HQ." Ivy's face flushed. He crossed his arms over his chest. "So, _do_ you know how to read a map?"

She looked away guiltily. "I would've figured it out eventually..." she mumbled, just barely loud enough for him to hear.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How did you even get this far without me..." This time she _did_ hit him and he went to rub the offended shoulder, mouthing 'ow!' at her. She only continued to glare, making him roll his eyes. He then turned around, going down the hall. "Come with me."

Her brows pinched together as she shuffled after him, keeping her footsteps light. "Where are you going?"

"There's a fire escape just outside our window," he told her, without looking over his shoulder. "We're climbing down that."

Ivy opened her mouth to reiterate that he was _not_ going to come with, but eventually she shut her mouth and complied. Everything he said was true, and as much as she hated to admit it, she really didn't know what she was doing.

 _Don't say I didn't warn you,_ Inner Voice said, the disapproving tone ringing around in her head.

Ivy waited as Noah got dressed, eyes shut tight. She tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for him to finish. She heard him shuffling around, rifling through stuff. Jeez, did it seriously take him this long to put on some jeans?!

"Okay, you ready?"

Ivy opened her eyes only to see him already out the window, the night breeze ruffling his black waves. The curtains billowed out and she could see the night sky as an inky black. She walked to the window. "What were you doing?"

He nodded his head toward the beds.

She frowned upon seeing the bulges under the blankets. "Pillows under the sheets? Really?" She shot him an incredulous stare. "That's such a cliche."

He shrugged. "A cliche that works. My Grams could never tell."

Her brows raised. "You've done this before?"

"And you haven't?" He asked, his incredulous expression matching hers. Before she could say anything, he raised a hand, shaking his head. "Wait. Don't answer that. Of _course_ you haven't snuck out before."

She tried to shoot him another glare, but she couldn't muster up the intent. He was right, after all. "Just shut up and help me through, Shasta."

* * *

 ** _*Adobo and *nilaga: both Filipino dishes. Look it up. It's good, if you haven't tried it yet!_**

 ** _SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:_**

 ** _Okay guys, this is super late and I have no excuse. School is getting more demanding and so is work, and tbh I just don't have enough time to update once a week. So now, this story will be updated BI-WEEKLY. Every two weeks. Every second Thursday...but don't hate me if it might come on a Friday. ALSO! I was wondering, If I made a tumblr for this story, would y'all be interested? You guys can get through to me easier through there, ask me questions, yell at me for being late, and even get some art for the story, and maybe down the line some extra content between updates. Let me know if that's something you'd be into or not—I don't market myself as arty, but I do have some doodles of Ivy and Noah and the rest of the crew._**

 ** _Alright that's all from me. Thank you all for sticking around through my bullshit!_**

 ** _As always, if you like the story, liked this chapter, or like the idea of a tumblr, please review! Thank you so much for reading._**

 ** _Until Next Chap!_**


	19. Now Is A Good Time to be Anyone But Me

**Chapter 18: Now Would Be A Good Time To Be Anyone But Me**

* * *

Maes Hughes sighed heavily. It was late—much too late. He should be home cuddling his lovely wife in bed, yet here he was stuck at the muggy station for the third time this week. Honestly, they didn't pay him enough.

The file's words below him began to get fuzzy and he reached a hand up to rub his tired eyes. When the words stayed blurry, he resolved to reach for his handkerchief and he removed the glasses from his face. He leaned back in his chair and it creaked ominously beneath him. It was a miracle, really, that the back-legs haven't snapped off already. Placing the spectacles back on his face, he eyed the time and groaned loudly. It looked like he was staying the night here. _Again._

Various photos littered his desk. All gruesome. Brains and blood painted on walls. Gaping holes from the back of heads, officer and state alchemist alike. These were pictures that could make the toughest officers under him gag. Yet he examined them as if they were nothing. Truthfully, after Ishval, nothing phased him. It was just another puzzle to solve, another case to close.

He leaned forward, his chair thumping onto level ground. He hunched over his desk, beginning to read the last eye-witness account of Scar. Or attempting to. When his eyes kept re-scanning the same sentence over and over again, he found his thoughts drifting to the two kids who have popped into his life.

The day Officer Anderson pulled a disgruntled boy into his office was unfortunately not the first one he's seen. The number of orphans have grown exponentially since the last war—and they only continue to grow. It didn't make things any less easy. Driving kids back to their homes—however broken they may be. Plopping children into orphanages kicking and screaming wasn't any better, either. If it were up to him, he'd house every single one of them. But it was unrealistic. You couldn't save every tragedy. It's just not how the world worked.

Noah, though.

He didn't look like a kid who ran from home to live on the streets. And he didn't have the air of someone who lived through the foster system. There was something...off.

So he took him home. Like some case file to sort out.

At first he felt guilty. Considering him like a new puzzle—something to be solved. As detached as the boy's situation called Maes to be—as detached as his job _required_ him to be—he couldn't force himself to do it. Every time he'd look into Noah's eyes, he saw Elycia.

No. That wasn't fair. He viewed every kid like Elycia; it was in his nature as a parent.

It was different. He didn't just metaphorically see Elycia in him; he could _physically_ see Elycia in him. As the days went on and as he watched the new, strange boy interact with his daughter, there was no denying the similarities they shared. Someone who didn't know better would say they were siblings. And honestly? Maes couldn't blame them. Noah looked the part. It was because of this similarity that made it impossible for him to follow protocol.

Ivy, on the other hand...

His heart ached as he recalled the phone call he received from a concerned Riza. It disgusted him to know people in the military still held such bigoted views. Hell, Officer Schulz _served_ in the Ishvalan Civil War! He expected him of all people to be sympathetic—not the very person who was willing to brutalize a little girl. A little girl who did nothing wrong.

He _warned_ Roy about this. He told him sticking Ivy in HQ was a bad idea. Maes predicted something like this happening from the start. When his friend asked him to house Ivy, he wanted to scold him an 'I told you so,' but Roy's remorseful expression seemed he was already giving himself a hard enough time for it as is.

He sighed for the umpteenth time that evening. Those two kids managed to weasel their ways into his life and his heart, just like a certain two brothers. The world was too cruel. These teenagers—these _kids_ —were not supposed to see the things they have— _experience_ the things they have! Children tossed by fate, forced to mature too damn early.

It was _his_ job to brave the world. It was his job—and Roy's and Riza's—and every adults'—job to make this cruel, depressing world better for the new generation. So kids wouldn't have to face the struggles and horrors that they had to.

"Goddammit Roy," he muttered, pressing his fingers into his eyes, "Hurry up and climb the ranks."

Before it was too late, and there was no future to save.

He squared his shoulders and resumed his work. Roy would save tomorrow, Maes would save today.

He only hoped that he could keep those kids safe until then. And to do that, he had to get Scar off the streets and into a jail cell. So he threw himself back into the thick of it.

* * *

 _This is the worst idea in the history of ideas._

Ivy couldn't help but agree as her heart raced and sped-walked through the streets. If it weren't for her terror, she'd be freezing. Her jacket did little to nothing to prevent the biting night air. The First Branch was a laborious forty minute walk from the Hughes's apartment and with every passing minute she was sure they were going to be caught. Either Gracia would discover the pillows, or a cop car was going to come strolling by courtesy of Maes Hughes, or someone on the street would walk by and demand why two teens were walking around so late or—

"Almost got it," came Noah's voice. Ivy snapped out of her worry-hole, glancing at the older boy. His face remained unchanged, his ear still pressed against the door.

She kept pacing, wringing her wrists as she surveyed the streets. Every now and then someone, or a group, would pass by and her heart would seize up with panic, but they'd continue on their merry way, laughing and conversing as if there weren't two suspicious figures stood in front of the military library, actively trying to break in.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god..."

Noah sighed loudly. "Can you stop? We'll be fine."

She whirled around to face him, staring in bewilderment as he calmly knelt before the lock, fiddling with it, an ear pressed against the door. How could he be so calm? They were _breaking_ and _entering!_

"How do you even know how to pick a lock anyway?!" She whisper-yelled, whirling back around to look at the streets. When she verified no one was there, she turned back to him, who seemed like he was trying his best to ignore her. He had been quiet the entire way there and without a moment's hesitation went to unpick the door lock. It was like he had done this before or something!

"None of your business," he murmured.

She felt like screaming back _it is TOO my business!_ But before she could, he let out loud "Gotcha!" not at all mindful of the fact they were doing a very illegal, very risky thing that called for discretion.

Ivy watched as he turned the knob and opened it widely, bowing before her. "After you."

She wanted to hit him for being so loud, but she was too eager to get out of the open where they could be seen. She shot one last look at the empty street before running in, urging Noah after her. He rolled his eyes before striding in slowly, much to Ivy's annoyance, and closed the door behind him. They were engulfed by darkness immediately and Ivy cursed. Through the windows, moonlight would shine through but the pale blue it casted on the gray building did little to help their vision.

"Should have brought a flashlight or something..." she grumbled, squinting to distinguish any shapes in the inky black.

 _Snick._

A tiny flame illuminated Noah's face, making his green eyes look like treetops amidst a forest fire.

"You brought a lighter?" Ivy asked incredulously.

"And you didn't?" He asked with a brow raised. "How were you gonna burn the notes when you found them?"

She paused, letting the question sit in the air. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking away. "I was gonna cross that bridge when I got to it," she mumbled.

"And how were you gonna get in to a locked facility without knowing how to pick a lock?" He asked again.

Ivy's cheeks flushed in embarrassment and she hoped the darkness masked it. "I would have thought of something!" She exclaimed indignantly.

"Yeah. Sure you would have." He pinched his nose bridge and let out a long sigh. "How did you survive without me."

She punched him in the shoulder, making him snort out a laugh.

"See if there's any candles or a lamp or something," he told her.

She nodded, turning and fumbling her way in the darkness until Noah would wave the light in her direction. She walked for a bit and stopped when the tip of her toe nudged something. Putting her hands out, she felt along the front and realized she had almost ran into a desk.

Noah turned and basked the light of the lighter over to her. It was the front desk. Files and books of a disparity of sizes littered the top of it, with a potted plant on the corner. "Aha!" Ivy grinned as she came across the candle tray and she lifted it triumphantly.

Noah dutifully lit the wick and now the both of them bathed in the warm glow of fire.

"Alright, so what now, Captain?"

Ivy pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she turned and saw the rows upon rows of bookshelves that went on for forever and then some. She knew had she been here over different circumstances, the sight of the endless books would have excited her to her core. However, as she watched the shadows dance over the walls due to the tiny flames both teens held in their hands, she felt nothing but hopelessness.

"It's a cookbook by Dr. Tim Marcoh," Ivy said then, "Marcoh with an 'h' at the end. Libraries are usually labeled, so, um, I guess we can start with self-help and cooking sections?" She paused then. "But some libraries are only labelled via author name, so we can look for the M's too...Or, I guess since he was a state alchemist, we can start looking in the back where they keep alchemical research...?

She felt Noah's eyes on her disapprovingly. "You have no idea what you're doing, do you?"

Her cheeks burned. " _Excuse_ me for not knowing the exact location of a single book!"

Noah only chuckled, much to Ivy's annoyance.

She flocked over to the desk, rifling through the drawers and other books on the table. "In any case, there should be a binder or something that has every book on file..."

Noah moved so he was stood beside her, watching her finger through various paper stacks. The added glow definitely helped her vision and her eyes gleamed once she found what she was looking for. Opening the library catalog, she immediately began flipping through, searching for 'Marcoh.'

"Maberry, Mabbot, no, no..." she murmured to herself, eyes scanning down the list.

Noah hovered over her shoulder, trying to see what she was doing. She could have laughed. Naomi and Elycia did the same thing. "You seem like you've done this before," he commented, watching as her finger ran down the page.

Ivy nodded, eyes still scanning. "My friend was a library assistant and I used to help out to get free books."

Noah snorted. "You're such a nerd."

Without looking up from the binder, she jabbed her elbow into his side, cutting his laugh into a wheeze. " _Don't_ make fun of me," she snapped, cheeks burning. She returned to the list. "Marcinkowski, Marcanno—there! Marcoh!" She pointed triumphantly at the page. Noah didn't share in her excitement, only raising an eyebrow as she memorized the location number and snapped the binder closed, making sure to put it exactly where she found it. Grabbing the candle tray again, she began walking briskly through the aisles, eager to get this whole mess over with. The faster she was back at the Hughes's, the better she'll feel.

She guided him to the back and up the staircase toward the restricted section and Ivy felt her heart soar. A library with multiple floors! The last library with multiple levels she went to was at NYU for a college visit. She would have wandered around there for hours if the guide let her. She never felt happier that they weren't burning down the whole thing—hell, maybe she could ask Ed or Al if they'd come with her so she could check some out! Granted, she doubted a military facility would allow a civillian to enter. Or have much material in the way of fiction. It wouldn't hurt to ask them to look—though she couldn't picture Ed doing that for her. He'd probably say it was stupid. Al, on the other hand! Surely he'd understand. A little pleasure reading never hurt anyone!

And she needed to study alchemy anyway—particularly alchemy books written by a certain Nicholas Flamel. The parallel was there for a reason; maybe he could help unlock the reason she and Noah ended up here in the first place.

"Look for Tim Marcoh," Ivy told him.

Noah balked at the size of the shelves. They were nearly three times his height, so she didn't blame him. "Uh, oh...kay..." Ivy scanned the shelves once before turning around. Instantly he paled upon seeing her turn. "W-wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go check for something real quick," she told him. Upon seeing his nervous expression, she smirked. "What? You scared of being by yourself?"

At that, she saw his nervous face morph into one of annoyance. He straightened, his cheeks flushed. "Of course not."

"Okayyy," she drawled, "So why are you freaking out?"

"I'm not!" He sighed and gestured to the books with the lighter. "Do you not see the size of this thing? It's fuckin' huge!

Ivy snorted. "Yeah. It's a library. The biggest in the country." Noah only continued to stare at her exasperatedly and she laughed. It was refreshing to see him act like a normal person, instead of trying to be cool all the time. "Oh my god, you big baby, I'll be right back. I'm going to go look for a different book. I might not get the chance to be back here again."

Noah sighed, wiping a hand down his face and mussing the black waves away from his face. "Fine, just, hurry. This is your territory, not mine."

Ivy nodded before rushing down the rows. The 'F' authors were earlier, after all. She had to force herself to slow down after seeing the flame of the candle flicker cautiously. A hand cupped around the front of the flame, she slowed down to come across the various author names. She felt a twinge of empathy for Noah and his apprehension at being left alone with the shelves—there _was_ a fuck ton of books. She shook her head and began scanning, searching.

Her body froze upon hearing a familiar voice.

"What a pain. Looking for one book in this mess—It's like looking for a needle in a stack of needles."

* * *

Noah cursed, staring at the author names and book titles incredulously. What the hell was Ivy thinking, leaving him to find it on his own? What the hell was more important than the stupid notes they broke in here for? He sighed, wafting the flame over the books as he continued looking for Marcus, or Marcoh, or something. He wanted to be out of there as soon as possible.

Truthfully, they had all night, so he didn't understand why he felt this odd sense of dread upon entering the place. In fact, it unnerved him even before entering. Why weren't there any guards? He was fully prepared for a distraction; HQ had been crawling with officers—why wouldn't there be any posted guard for a library that supposedly held all their files? It just didn't make sense. He knew he had to be grateful it was an easy in, but _still..._ He just didn't have that kind of luck.

The flame of his lighter flickered and a chill went down his spine.

He whirled around, brandishing the light toward the darkness like a weapon.

Just more bookshelves.

He let out a breath, turning back to the shelf Ivy directed him to, shaking out the icky feeling of being watched. They were alone. There was no need to be as paranoid as he was. He felt his cheeks burn from his momentary panic and he was especially glad that Ivy wasn't there to see it.

Still, he glanced over his shoulder every few seconds. To check for Ivy, he kept telling himself, but he couldn't shake off that eerie feeling of something lurking within the shadows.

Footsteps that he recognized as Ivy's gentle pattering made him lift his head from the second shelf. As he turned he was surprised to see her candle out. Maybe she needed it relit? He raised a brow. "That was quick. Did you—"

She leapt forward, slapping a palm over his mouth, quieting his sentence to a muffled 'mmf!' She also leaned toward his lighter, blowing it out, blanketing them in darkness. It took a bit for his eyes to adjust to the abrupt change, but she was still so close, he could see the outline of her brown irises, eyes widened in what could only be interpreted as fear.

"Sh," she pleaded, her voice even quieter than a whisper. If she hadn't gone on her tiptoes to be two inches from his face, he probably wouldn't have heard her. It was frazzled, panicked. It gave him pause to feel her shaking as she kept his mouth covered. Reluctantly, he nodded.

With a shaky breath of air, she released her hold on him, falling back to the flats of her feet. Her head flicked down to his empty hands and back up to his face. "Did you find it?" She asked. He shook his head. Upon seeing the motion, she squeezed her eyes shut and proceeded to list off a load of profanity that quite frankly shocked him to his core. If he hadn't been confused and concerned at her sudden panic, he think he'd be a bit impressed.

She pushed him forward then and he planted a foot behind him to stop. She shot him another panicked look but he wasn't going to budge until he knew why exactly she was acting that way. After all, they didn't even get to find that Marcoh guy's notes! There's no way they were going to leave without them.

 _Click. Clack._

The noise cut through Ivy's curses and made them both freeze.

 _Click. Clack._

Through the darkness, Noah could see candlelight stretching over bookcases and the sound of heels on floorboards crept closer. _Shit, a guard?_ He thought frantically. Where the hell did they come from? If they were inside the whole time, there was no way they _hadn't_ heard him and Ivy messing around.

He felt a hand clutch onto his sleeve and he glanced over to confirm. Ivy fisted the fabric of his shirt so tightly it pulled his collar to the side. She subconsciously pressed herself closer and he felt her quivering hand bunched up in his sleeve.

 _Click. Clack._

Heart pounding, he pushed her to stand behind him and she quickly hid behind his shoulder. Shielding her like so did little to help considering the guard hadn't noticed them yet, but he sensed the small motion calmed her some. He took a step back, mindful of spreading his weight evenly on the wooden floor as to not make any sound. "It'll be fine," he told her quietly, "We can outrun a security guard no sweat."

He was thankful he sounded calm through the drumming of his heartbeat in his chest. Both of them panicking would do no good. The times he'd sneak onto campus with friends to wreck havoc felt like child's play now. Regular officers he can deal with, but who knows the repercussions for sneaking onto a military-sanctioned building. He doubted they'd just get a slap on the wrist.

" _You need to protect Ivy from this hatred. Can you promise me that?"_

Hughes's words echoed from their conversation on the stairs. As Ivy trembled behind him, he had to resist cursing aloud. Fuck, that's right. Breaking and entering a military building was bad enough, but for someone like Ivy? To be caught like this?

He reached an arm out behind him, feeling her small form shaking in fear. Dammit dammit dammit—why didn't he think this through?! If people in _California_ could be shot just for looking different, he'd bet the stakes for 1915 not-Germany were much higher. They had to get out of there. _Now._

The heels were close enough that the candlelight now leaked through the shelves, striping them in yellow-orange light. A shadow stretched down the hall, painting a warped creature with only vague hints of a humanoid body. His brows pinched together. Surely one in a military uniform would have a squarer shadow? And now that he had time to think about it, those heels did not sound like the military boots he'd heard padding down the halls of HQ.

He took a step forward to peer through the slants of books and he felt tiny hands claw at his arm, desperately trying to pull him back. He paid no heed—he had to see what they were up against.

As he peaked through the shelves, his brows knit together. It was a woman. She was clad in a tight dress that clung to her curves like a second skin and her rolling dark waves of hair spilled down her back. She looked like the personification of Jessica Rabbit.

In an eerie way.

As the candle's flame flickered he saw her skin shine like plastic and he began to see the proportions that seemed wrong. Her waist was tinier than seemed anatomically correct and her large bust and wide hips seemed too...cartoon-like? Was that the word? She seemed fake—and not in the plastic surgery way. There was no other way to describe it.

Her eyes flicked to where he peered through the shelves and he flinched. Her eyes were violet. That wasn't a human eye-color.

"Who's there?" She asked.

 _Fuck._ She saw him. His muscles tensed and Ivy went still.

"Come out! I know you're there," she demanded.

He swallowed, balling a hand into a fist. They had to run. Before she realized where they were hiding.

Strangely though, a different voice emerged from the shadows.

She looked over her shoulder to regard the figure who had stepped forward. She let out a coy chuckle. "And what are _you_ here for, scarred man?"

Scarred...?

As the man stepped into the light, the warm glow flickered over his brown skin and Noah startled involuntarily upon seeing the large, marred white X that spread across his forehead.

He turned his head toward Ivy, his eyes searching, hoping. She didn't look at him, her eyes glued to the space between the shelves. Her hand reached up to her arm, grasping at the scar that lay hidden under her sleeve. His eyes narrowed as he turned his attention back to the man, a simmering hatred boiling in his stomach.

And then he saw it.

The round blur hurtled toward them and Noah's instincts took over. He shoved Ivy as hard as he could and tried to run after her. But the blur was too fast. He managed to twist away just before seeing a large mouth opening toward him and the thing crashed into the bookshelves. They creaked and he heard the wood snap as it fell backward. He put his arms up to shield himself before books began pelting him, beating him to the ground. He grunted with the impact as the thing toppled over, crushing him into submission. He felt a crushing weight pin him to the ground and the world went dark.

* * *

"Sir, are you alright?"

Maes Hughes glanced up at Maria Ross. It was odd to not see her partner with her—though that was to be expected, since Hughes called her in last minute to work the graveyard shift with him, as per usual. He was lucky his suboordinate was an understanding gal and didn't resent him for it. He nodded, hugging his arms to himself. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. I just had a chill all of a sudden..." And a sudden pit in his gut, but he wouldn't tell her that. It was nothing, he was sure.

She shook her head, placing a newly brewed cup of coffee before him. "Be careful, sir. I hope you're not getting a cold."

He smiled in thanks as he brought the steaming mug to his lips. "I'm just tired, Ross."

"Hm," she hummed thoughtfully, reaching for his dirty, empty cup from earlier that day. "Well, you've been staring at that same file for hours now. Maybe you need a break; look at some other cases to refresh your mind."

He pondered that for a moment. He _had_ been piling up on other cases...

"Call if you need anything, sir," she said, and left, closing the door behind her.

Maes took a gulp of coffee, staring at the same papers and photos. His finger tapped in consideration before he put down his mug and began scooping the files back into their manila folder. Ross was right—maybe he did need to look at something else to refresh his mind.

He leafed through his case files, frowning at each one. God, his job was depressing. Was there anything other than murder cases? He needed something _different_ , for crying out loud.

He continued to leaf through the files when his fingers stalled. It was a Missing Persons report. That was something he hadn't worked on in a bit. He plucked the folder from the pile and opened it.

His brows furrowed. "That's..." he struggled to find the word. "...strange."

Strange was one way to put it.

He leaned forward, pouring over the words. His hand reached for his coffee. He was going to need it.

As he continued to read, the pit in his gut only grew bigger.

* * *

Suddenly Ivy was shoved to the side. Hard. She hit the floor roughly, sliding across the wooden floor a few feet. Letting out a gasp of pain her attention was ripped from her slight discomfort to a loud _CRASH._ The entire shelf had been rammed down, books toppled over in various piles. A light gray cloud lay in its wake, the disturbed dust having been tossed from the unused books themselves.

Through the mayhem, clarity formed. "NOAH!" She cried, trying to push herself upward. Before she could stand, a black, dart-like projectile shot out before her path, piercing the floor. Four more shot through the air and she found herself trapped in a cage of familiar spears.

"Not so fast, kitten," Lust cautioned. The orange flickering basked toward her and she sighed, addressing something else. "Gluttony, how many times have I told you not to play with your food?" What the fire unmasked left her stomach curled in knots.

Everything about the picture before her screamed _wrong._ Beady eyes sunk into the large bulbous face, the corners crinkled by the large, toothy grin. A horridly obese body bounded closer, and the grotesque rolls and egregiously huge belly bobbed with every motion. Every step forward served a loud 'thud', the very ground shaking beneath him, creaking from the weight. If there was ever a physical embodiment of 'gluttony', she was at its feet.

Gluttony's voice gurgled, as if there was leftover food mush piled to the brim in the back of his throat. "I found the strays." It sounded strained and guttural, like wayward stomach growling rising from the pits of his body's intestines and traveling up and out of his mouth. It was nothing like the childlike, almost cute voice she remembered from the anime.

"Good," Lust purred. As her heels clacked until she stood before the horrid creature, Ivy wondered why she had thought Lust looked human. Granted, she resembled a human being far more than her companion, but something about the way she was shaped was otherworldly and distinctly artificial. She was crafted like a mannequin, but the features of a sex doll. Her pouting lips and curvy body was unnervingly smooth, her skin shining in the flames like plastic. If she were to stand entirely still, Ivy would not be able to tell the difference between a life-size doll and her.

" _You,"_ two voices bit out. One spat the word out like it was venom, and the other was said in a steely confusion.

Lust's attention zeroed back in on her and at the piercing violet stare, a chill ran down her spine. "You've caused me quite a bit of trouble," she said lowly.

"I—" Her eyes flicked between the homunculus and the Ishbalan who stared at her curiously, a frown tugged at his lips. She swallowed as she watched him crack the fingers of his destructive right hand. His own eyes darted between the two—as if contemplating which to kill first.

"Can I eat her?"

Her breath caught in her throat as she snapped her head toward the ghastly beast who stared at her hungrily. A gross crackle resounded in his belly and the flame flickered ominously over his swelled, round face. Dark red stained the front of his teeth.

"You're still hungry after those guards?" Lust asked incredulously.

 _Oh my god._

Ivy's chest constricted in a dry heave, but she forced herself to remain still, lest she cut herself on the speared cage around her and swallowed whatever bile threatened to spew. It wasn't dumb luck they got in so easily. She should have known better. _Fuck,_ she should have _known_ better!

And as she stared at the lifeless, blank eyes that bared down at her, her mind swirled and she felt her skin prickle and heat up all at once. She sent a silent prayer of thanks to whatever god was out there that it had the mercy to make her faint. If she were to be eaten alive, she much rather have it done in blissful unconsciousness.

Her mind was screaming.

 _I AM NOT GOING TO DIE LIKE THIS—_

As Gluttony advanced on her, her body gave out, and she sank into nothingness.

* * *

 ** _Guys. I had to do my taxes. When I first wrote this story—wayyy back from the first version, I was 12. Dude. This fic idea is 6, almost 7 years old. Can you believe that? I wasn't even a TEENAGER when this story was first written. Now I'm an ADULT who does TAXES. Wow. How time flies._**

 ** _Also, I feel like I dropped the F-bomb so many times in this chapter? Oops._**

 ** _Anyhow, if you like this story, like this chapter, or like Hughes, please review! Thank you so much for reading—_**

 ** _Until next chap!_**

 ** _(See you on 29 March 2018!)_**


	20. Caught in the Crossfire

**Chapter 19: Caught in the Crossfire**

 ** _(...I'm late. I know, i know, I'm sorry. It was last minute plans yesterday and i just managed to get home now. Sorry about the wait—here's the chapter!)_**

* * *

 _Noah felt nothing, but felt everything._

 _He floated along the tangible darkness as dozens of tiny hands held him up. It was like floating through gelatinous water and he wondered how he could breathe. He saw nothing, but he knew. He_ knew _._

 _Snapshots appeared then, as if a movie reel was in front of his face. It manifested in his head and poured into his mind. Snapshots like stop-motion art materialized before him. He saw faces, he knew names. Circles with weird symbols drawn in them appeared. They duplicated and spread like kaleidoscopes, and the words 'transmutation circles' and 'alchemy' occurred to him as he watched._

 _Then the pain began._

 _He suddenly understood everything he's ever seen and everything he hasn't experienced. He understood history and science—he simultaneously knew math equations and philosophy and things that he hadn't read. The information was readily available and eager, piling and filling his head to the brim. His brain was screaming, expanding, exploding and he was screaming. God, was he screaming. Every nerve in his body was on fire and frozen and he wanted it to stop._

 _Suddenly, he was given a choice._

 _He wanted to go_ back _. Back where things were safe and made sense. Back where he belonged._

 _Back to Mom._

 **The choice has been made.**

 _Everything came rushing back. The unfamiliarity, the pain, the hurt, the confusion._

 _The faces appeared again as if it wanted to make sure he knew, make sure he remembered and absorbed their features until they were branded on the inside of his skull. He didn't know them. It knew them. They buzzed around him, crowding him, begging him. Pleading for something he didn't know he could give. They all burned bright and the voices were too much._

 _Through the chaos, one stood out among the others. It didn't cry or beg—it simply floated. Floated through this weird amalgamation of feelings and emotions._

 _He made his way through the crowd. The other voices screamed_ **Me, mE pICk me!** _But he paid them no mind. The small light wasn't particularly bright; in fact, it was the dimmest of the bunch that gathered around him like moths drawn to a flame._

 _He reached for it and when his fingertips brushed against the glow, warmth sparked between them. He knew this one. He didn't know how, but he did._

 _The others swarmed him—screeching: They hated it. They_ despised _it. They wanted to_ destroy _that light._

 _So he grabbed hold and held it protectively against his chest._

 _Then finally,_ finally _, he was being pulled back, being released and dropped and he fell for who knew how long. The other lights materialized into black arms, snaking and grabbing hold of what they could. Teeth spread into wide grins and eyes grew wide and malicious. He felt the last of the tiny mouths biting off the pieces of his sanity they liked best._

 _The light he still held protectively against his chest wriggled under his touch._

 _Did it...want to leave?_

No. Please. _He didn't want to be alone._

 _It struggled, pulling. He kept holding on._

 _A face appeared. One he recognized._

 _There. That's where the light belonged._

 _He released it. It vanished._

 _And he plunged into darkness_.

* * *

He felt air. Fresh air. He coughed, wheezing through the dust.

" _Noah_!"

The voice wasn't something he recognized. Something lightly slapped his cheek repeatedly. His brows furrowed together, the side of his face beginning to sting from smack after smack, but it was incomparable to the heavy weight that sat on his entire body. It was hard to breathe.

"Noah! Come on!" The voice hissed. The worry that laced their words was eerily familiar and he recognized the small timbre as clear as day. He forced his heavy eyelids open and the vision before him swirled.

He saw chocolate brown eyes, lit in an angry orange glow. A hot wind whipped over his face as he continued to blink the haziness away. "Ives...?"

Her face softened and for a moment he saw the Ivy he had come to know flash over her features. But as quickly as it was there, it was gone, replaced by the intense, fiery expression that it was now. " _Up,"_ she commanded. Her hand grabbed his forearm and instead of the gentle, hesitant way he was accustomed to, she gripped his arm firmly, pulling him up and out.

Recognition quickly woke him from his dizzy state as he tried to pull himself out from under the avalanche of books above him. His senses came back slowly, grunts and the crackle of electricity in the air. The ground below him rumbled as he shimmied himself waist out from the rubble and crashes of more fallen bookshelves booming around them. The pressure lessened from his chest and he inhaled a gulp of air, only to choke. Smoke weaseled its way into his lungs, ash floating around them.

The sound of something breaking called his attention and he turned. His eyes widened. Bodies clashed toward each other, long black spears cutting and slashing toward the man called Scar. Where the fat guy went, he had no clue.

Finally he unearthed himself from the mountain of books and before he got a chance to breathe, Ivy took off in a run, pulling him behind her. The flames grew more intense, quickly eating up every scrap of paper. _So much for trying not to burn the place down..._

It was difficult to navigate the chaos the library had become. It was astonishing how quick everything went to shit; he didn't think he was passed out for that long. Things were crumbling all around him and fire licked at the walls violently.

Ivy coughed harshly, the thing racking her body, and it forced her to stumble to a stop. Noah eyed the fight taking place to their left. Scar was narrowly avoiding black blurs and with a shock he realized the blurs spread from the woman's fingertips.

"Who the fuck are these guys?!" He yelled over the vicious heated winds.

Ivy opened her mouth to respond but another cough burst from her mouth and he quickly pushed her toward shelves that haven't been consumed by flames. Much.

Shelves crumbled into ash around them as they took cover, hiding from view. Ivy hacked up a lung damn near and Noah rested his hands on her shoulders. They trembled under his touch with every cough.

"You okay?" He asked, raising his voice to come over the roar of battle behind him.

She nodded, looking up at him with an unusual intensity. She glanced at his hands on her shoulders still and she smacked them away. "We've gotta get out of here before the building collapses."

"What about Marcoh's notes?"

" _Fuck_ the notes!" She exclaimed. "We should have never come here in the first place! I _knew_ it was a bad idea!"

His brows pinched together.

"Cmon," she urged, pulling her sleeve over her hand and pressing it to her mouth and nose. "We've gotta get out of here before the building collapses!" She looked up at the ceiling and screwed her face up in anger and exasperation. "Or die of smoke inhalation."

She grabbed his hand and took off again and Noah could only follow. The room got hazier and hazier as the smoke filled the room and as a result everything became difficult to distinguish. They flew down the stairs, hopping over the holes that have already punctured themselves in the steps.

The fire was growing. It chased after them, closing the walls of the previously large building around them. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Yet, Ivy didn't relent. She didn't pause or stop. Every fallen beam, every obstacle in her way was danced around with an accuracy and grace that Noah didn't think possible for the girl he'd come to know.

The exit was in sight now and more than ever did their pace increase. His lungs were burning and he was unsure if it was from adrenaline or from the burning air. The fight that seemed miles away now finally reared its ugly head.

He saw it before she did.

"Noah, wha—!?"

He leapt forward and captured the girl in his arms, twisting them away from the black projectile. A shooting pain buried into his shoulder and he cried out, dropping her. They both tumbled to the ground clumsily, Ivy rolling a few feet away from where he lay. He grasped at the spear that dug into the spot where his shoulder and chest meet.

"Mother _fuc_ —" he managed to spit out, before the spear twisted, cutting his expletive into a pained shout. It retracted then, leaving a collapsed Noah in its wake. He looked up to see the woman smirk before returning to the unfair fight between her accomplice and the serial killer.

Ivy crouched next to him, her hands flying over to his wound. He sucked in a breath through his teeth and her hands jumped away. He looked at her, relief blooming in his chest once he saw her unharmed. "Noah, we need to—"

He shook his head. "I'm fine!" He lied through his teeth. He pushed himself to stand and wobbled. Ivy was quick to steady him, but he pushed her away. "It was my arm, not my legs—we have to _go!"_ Just as his instructor taught him: stay in the moment. You can deal with pain later.

Ivy looked hesitant, but eventually she nodded. Just as they were about to take another step, electricity made the already hot air sting.

Battle raged before them. Scar dodged the fat man's open jaws and Noah marveled at the speed and grace he exuded despite his obese body. He advanced and the scarred man let out a yell as he palmed the man's face. Blood-red lightning sprang from his touch and Noah balked as blood spurted from his ears, eyes, and back of his head. He gagged at the sight of guts flying but the pain in his shoulder prevented him from heaving over and puking.

They were surrounded by fucking _murderers._ They had to get out of there before they were next.

Noah reached the door and grabbed at the handle only to rear back with a shout. He cradled the singed skin of his palm to his chest, cursing. "We've gotta find another way out!" He yelled over the roar of the flames. When he turned to look for another way, he paled.

Scar had been backed into a wall, holding back the ravenous round beast with one arm. That wasn't possible. He _saw_ him blow that guy's brains out. How was he still moving?! How was he not dead?!

"No, no, you can't just—"

Noah glanced down to see Ivy. Her eyes glazed over, unfocused and wild.

"You idiot!" She screeched. He flinched, but it didn't seem to be directed at him. Her hands went to claw at her head. "Let him go! _We're_ more important—"

"Ives?" He asked.

She straightened, whirling toward the fight. She took a deep gulp of air, cupping her hands over her mouth. "SCAR!" Her voice pierced the air, making all three of the occupants turn to it.

The serial killer regarded her with confusion, one arm out to keep the non-human being at bay. It was all he could do to avoid being mauled.

"WINDOWS!" She screamed.

What?

From the distance, he could barely make out the minute nod he gave before slamming his destructive right hand down to the wall behind him. The red lightning shot up and with the force of a grenade, the windows shattered. The building wobbled ominously and without a seconds' hesitation, Ivy grabbed Noah's hand and they ducked out a shattered window.

They blazed down the street. Not stopping. Not talking. They kept going, even when their legs began to tire and the heat of the fire was no longer near. They didn't look back even after hearing the catastrophic collapse of the First Branch.

After what seemed like forever, Ivy slowed to a trot, coughing and wheezing through abused lungs. "I think..." Wheeze. "We're...far...enough." She looked over her shoulder at him, a foreign smile on her lips, but the moment they locked eyes, her smile faded. "Noah...?"

He wanted nothing more than to ask what in the actual _hell_ just happened, but the world tilted and the pain in his shoulder grew.

"Noah, what's—"

Before she could finish, the familiar darkness enveloped his world again.

* * *

He was being dragged.

He wasn't sure—it was too foggy in his brain to be _sure—_ but there was no doubt something hooked under his armpits and chest. His legs were dragging on the pavement too.

He swam in and out of consciousness. His legs hurt. His arms hurt. God, he wasn't sure if there was a time where everything _hurt_ as bad as it did now. The only thing that came close was his first ever match when he got beaten to a pulp. He was positive everything would just be _better_ if he was out for the count, but angry muttering kept him teetering on awake and asleep.

"I swear to god, if you die on me—"

A grunt. Hands adjusted their hold on him, fingers gripping tightly to his clothes.

"Dramatic asshole—fainting on me." Another grunt. "You're way too skinny to be this damn heavy."

The voice was something familiar. His mind was screaming at him, telling him he should know, but he was too tired to think.

"She's going to rip you to shreds for taking that hit, yknow." They sighed. "Dumb boys and their stupid martyr complex."

A pause.

"Thank you."

He fought against the darkness. He wanted to open his eyes, see who it was who was dragging him, but soothing hands smoothed the hair from his face.

"No, no, sh. We're almost there. Just hold on."

 _Just hold on._

* * *

"Sir! Wait!"

Maes Hughes ignored the frantic voices of nurses and pushed past hospital personnel. He marched up to the room and burst through the door, eyes wild with worry and breath ragged.

All the breath in his lungs vanished.

He took a hesitant step forward, toward the bed where Noah lay unconscious, bandages wrapped around his chest. He swallowed hard after seeing the dark, red stain that bled through the white.

He heard someone else enter, the door swinging shut behind them. "Sir...what..." Through the corner of his eye, he could see Maria Ross doubled over, panting. She straightened, her brows pinching together. "Is that...?"

Maes clutched his hands into fists.

Ross snapped into action, gentle hands on his shoulders pushing him and guiding him to sit down in the chair next to the bed. Stiffly, he allowed her to move him and he collapsed into the wooden chair, elbows leaning against the flat bed. Noah's chest slowly rose and fell with his breathing, the only small comfort that he was okay.

"That's the boy you're housing, sir?"

Maes managed a small nod and choked out, "Yes."

When Gracia called him in a panic that the kids weren't in their room, his mind instantly went to worst case scenario. It didn't help that he was already at the scene of the raging inferno of the First Branch, where Scar was supposedly seen. Then, to get a call from the _hospital_ of all things?

He went to reach for Noah, but drew back.

The door swung open again and both he and Ross turned to see a surprised-looking girl with a hospital cafeteria cup full of steaming coffee.

He jumped to his feet. "And where have you been?!" He demanded.

The already shell-shocked Ivy flinched at his tone and her eyes darted between him and Ross. "Uh..."

He marched over to where she stood and she clenched her eyes tight, no doubt bracing herself for a scolding. He only shook his head and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her face into his shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

The girl stiffened in his embrace and to his confusion, she didn't wrap her arms around him to return the hug, like she normally would have. He disregarded the small difference—after all, she must be startled from everything. Speaking of which—

He untangled her from his arms and held her at arms' length, bending down to look in her eyes. "What on earth happened here?" He said, sharpening his tone. "Do you any idea how _worried_ Gracia was? How worried _I_ was?"

"Lt. Colonel?"

Maes turned to see Ross whose hand rested hesitantly on his shoulder. One look into her eyes made him sigh. He nodded at her and she gave a small smile, squeezing his shoulder before letting go.

"Do you want me to go get the doctor?" She asked. "I can get started on the papers if you'd like some time."

He smiled back. He was lucky to have such an understanding officer under him; there weren't many of those left. "Thank you; please. I'll be right out," he told her. She nodded and left, closing the door shut. He turned back to the girl who cautiously sipped on her coffee, finger scratching at the cardboard. "What happened?" He asked again, gentler this time.

She took another sip before answering. "I went out for a walk. Noah followed me. I got cornered by a drunk and Noah came to my defense. We didn't see the knife and he stabbed him before he ran."

She spoke as though she were stating facts about the weather. Robotic and unfeeling. It unnerved him to see Ivy seem so different. She stared down at her shoes, holding the cup of coffee to her chest protectively.

"So we came straight here and when they asked for our emergency contact, I gave them your number," she continued, "I'm sorry. I know you were at work, and I didn't want to bother you, but—

"No," he cut her off firmly, making her look up at him. "Never apologize for asking for help. You can call me whenever you need to; you will never be a bother. Understand?"

She looked at the ground, her hair falling over her shoulders. She nodded.

"Good." He sighed, wiping a hand down his face as he glanced back at Noah who still lay sleeping.

"He's okay," Ivy said suddenly. He turned to regard her. "He's fine. The... _knife_ narrowly missed his lung and hit just below the subclavian artery. He lost a lot of blood though, so the doctors gave him a transfusion."

He blinked.

"He also, uh...hit his head," she said, "when he, um, passed out. So I think—I mean, the _doctor_ thinks— that he may have a concussion too. I'll wake him up in a bit, just in case," she told him, scratching the back of her neck.

"Oh," Maes said, staring at her curiously, "How did you...?"

"The doctor told me," she said quickly, her cheeks flushing. "I figured you would want to know."

He'd find out sooner or later, he guessed. "Thank you. I'll be back," he told her, taking a step forward and grasping the doorknob in his hand. He glanced once back at them, seeing Ivy take the seat near Noah's bed. He felt that stir in the pit of his gut and his brows furrowed.

As Ivy walked past him, he could swear he smelt smoke. Maybe...?

He shook his head. He was being too paranoid; it was Scar who set that library ablaze. Multiple eye witnesses confirmed that. A yawn crept out of his throat as he closed the door behind him. God, he needed some sleep. Tonight was too much.

He stole a glance from the door's window. He watched Ivy reach for Noah's hand, hesitate, and then rest her hand back in her lap. The file he was looking at earlier burned a hole in his jacket, and he reflexively reached for it, brushing it against his fingertips.

"Lt. Colonel!"

Maes broke from his reverie and he saw Ross down the hall, beckoning him over; she was stood next to a man with a white coat. He hesitated, sparing one last glance at those kids, and eventually sighed, releasing the case file. Squaring his shoulders, he walked toward them.

* * *

Alphonse lay on his bed, stiff and unfeeling, while Ed snored the night away. He watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, his mouth wide open, with his legs tangled in the sheets. It was almost dawn, yet the moon still held high, and the sun hadn't yet peaked through the horizon. The moonlight streamed in through the blinds and casted a pale glow over his brother's face.

Normally at this time, he lamented his decisions. Whereas his brother could go to sleep and block the world out, he could not—forever the silent sentry. He'd wish and long for the day to arrive where he could feel tired, where he could feel the softness of the pillows and of the sheets. But now?

Alphonse could barely contain his excitement. A lead. A god-honest, _real_ lead. Central Library, First Branch. With the same words he had repeated over and over in his head scrawled onto a piece of paper: _The truth hidden with the truth._

He knew he should be suspicious, but now his long-awaited dream was finally in reach. He will take the mysterious phone calls and not question it one bit if it meant his brother was whole again. Don't get him wrong, automail was great; helpful, even. But the cost and the maintenance alone is something to be wary of, not to mention the bodily strain. He'd miss teasing him about his height, but without those two weights on him, maybe he'd finally get taller.

 _Brrrrrrrring!_

Ed rolled over, mumbling, while Alphonse rose to his feet. Who was calling this late?

Al made his way to the phone, careful of his hollow footfalls, to not awake Ed and grasped the ear piece. "Hello?" He greeted quietly.

" _Alphonse?"_

Al straightened. "Mr. Hughes?" He asked. "What's wrong?" He knew the Lt. Colonel wouldn't be calling at such an odd hour if it weren't something serious.

He heard a forced laugh. " _Sorry about the late call...Honestly, the thought didn't even cross my mind. Sorry to have woken you up."_

"No, please, don't worry about," Al dismissed, rubbing the back of his head, "I...couldn't sleep anyway."

 _"I see."_

"So...is there something wrong?" he asked.

" _When are you and Ed due to come back?"_

It didn't leave Al's notice the sudden change of subject. "Oh, we're actually catching the 5AM train back to Central."

" _I see."_

A beat of silence.

" _Then I guess you two will find out anyway..."_ Hughes mumbled. " _Dammit_."

"Mr. Hughes...?" Al had never heard him sound like this.

 _"Noah is in the hospital_."

"What?!" Al flinched when he noticed he raised his voice, casting a cautious glance toward Ed who still lay snoring. He quieted his voice again. "Is he okay? What happened?"

 _"He was stabbed_ ," Hughes told him.

"Is Ivy okay?" He doubted she was handling this well.

"She's fine," Hughes said, "He apparently was stabbed while protecting her from a drunk."

And of course it had to happen while he and his brother weren't there. " _She's not hurt?"_

" _No."_

Al let out a relieved sigh. "That's good..."

" _Alphonse, that's not why I called."_

"Oh." Military business, perhaps? "Do you want me to wake Brother then?"

" _Were you there when you found Ivy?"_

Al paused. "Yes," he answered hesitantly.

" _Then let Edward sleep,"_ Hughes said, " _I just wanted to ask you a question about the day you found her."_

"Sure..." Why would he want to know about that?

" _Where did you find her exactly?"_

"In Ashwell," Al said.

" _Do you remember the date?"_

"I believe it was June first," he said carefully.

" _I see..."_

"Why do you want to know?" Al asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

" _I was just curious about something,"_ he said curtly, " _Thank you, Alphonse. I'll see you soon."_

 _Click_.

Al stared at the ear piece as the dial tone repeated, signifying the end of the call. That was...odd. He put the ear piece back to its place and turned his head to where Edward lay, still asleep.

After a moment of hesitation, he shook his head. They had to leave for the train soon anyway; might as well let him sleep for another hour. Save him an earful of him cursing away, hiding his worry behind anger.

Al sat back down on the bed, the mattress squeaking in protest.

He hoped they were okay.

* * *

"Hey."

Something poked him.

"Dude."

It poked him again. Do they not understand he was _sleeping_?

"Wake _up_ you little sh—"

He groaned.

They sighed. "C'mon."

He slowly pried his eyelids open, and rolled his head to where the voice was speaking. The image was hazy, but with a few blinks, it cleared to reveal a very pissed-off looking Ivy.

"Ives," he greeted, moving to sit up. When his shoulder lit up in pain, he winced, and a hand rested heavily on his chest, pushing him back down.

"Don't get up, jackass, you're wounded," she snapped.

He wasn't going to protest. His entire body ached. His head dropped back down to the overly fluffed pillow. "What happened," he deadpanned. Why did everything _hurt_ so much?

"You passed out from blood loss," she stated, staring at him with a look that seemed distinctly...something.

"Oh."

Memories came back to him now. An entire bookshelf falling on him. Getting stabbed. Ah yes. His pain was beginning to make more sense.

"You okay?" He asked, turning his head to look at her.

Her cheeks flushed pink, and she crossed her arms over chest, looking away. "I'm fine," she snapped again.

His brows pinched together. He didn't expect her to fall over bawling in relief but—okay, maybe he did. If she didn't care, that was fine, but she didn't have to be so pissed off. "Jeez, what's your problem?"

At that, she turned back to him swiftly, her eyes glaring daggers, making him flinch. He had never seen her look so angry.

"Ives, what's wrong?"

"Don't call me that," she spat, venom lacing every word.

He stared at her, brows furrowed. Why was she being so weird? "Ives—"

"I SAID don't call me that!" She exploded, jumping to her feet. The chair scraped back against the linoleum and toppled back, clanging against the floor.

Noah was stunned.

The echo of a memory tickled in the back of his mind, but he struggled to lock onto it. As he stared into her eyes—he knew.

"You're not Ivy," he said quietly.

The strong illusion broke and the girl before him crumbled. She dropped to her knees and clutched at the bed sheets.

"Please..." she whispered. "What did you do to me?"

* * *

"Thank you, Alphonse. I'll see you soon," Maes said, and hung up the phone.

He stared down at the file in his hands.

Missing.

 _Zoe Trussel,_ the file read. But it couldn't be.

Because Zoe Trussel's picture was of the girl he knew as Ivy Thompson.

* * *

 ** _I'M SORRY._**

 ** _But, hey! It's here. Please tell me what you think!_**

 ** _Also? I've noticed there's a whole bunch of new readers! Thank you guys so much for clicking on Truth's Game! I'd love to know what you all think of Noah and Ivy and the story so far. I hope you are enjoying what I've written._**

 ** _As always, if you like this story, like what you've read, or like Father!Hughes, please review! Thank you_ so much _for reading—_**

 ** _UNTIL NEXT CHAP!_**

 ** _(APRIL. 12/13. 2018)_**


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